A New Purpose
by himayamata
Summary: After losing Ashi the love of his life, the samurai was approached by a mysterious dark entity who said that he can bring her back if he do something for him. Jack accepts and he will be facing dangerous new foes in his quest to save Ashi. Arc 1 complete. The next one will continue here.
1. A New Purpose

**Author's Note:** This is a short scene/story for my upcoming story " **NU: River of Time** "

 **A New Purpose**

In the beginning, Time started to flow like water.

Soon it became a large cosmic river flowing towards one direction.

When there's Time, there are gods who manipulates the flow. Knowing the risk of manipulating time, the gods decided to guard it from the ones who dares defiles it. The ones who defiles it are the Time Travelers.

However, unbeknownst to anyone, because of the Time Travelers meddling the river of time, they unknowingly created a new and dark entity.

This dark entity sets its eyes on a mortal who just got back from the future and struck down the demon who sent him there in the first place. A samurai was named by many as Jack was saddened by the loss of his beloved. Long story short: he faced a demon Aku but he was sent to future where he met his beloved from the future. She helped him get back to the past. However, her father is the demon the samurai killed in the past and as a result, she ceased to exist. With that backstory, the dark entity found a perfect man for the job.

One day as the samurai walked towards a market of a small town posing as a traveler just like he did in the future, the dark entity suddenly approached him. The people in the market were frightened by its appearance. The samurai Jack did not flinch at its presence. He simply looks up to take a good look of the entity. It has large black muscular humanoid body. The strange feature is that the entity doesn't have a head. It just have a large floating eye. "Hello, samurai."

Jack can feel the same presence every time he met Aku. "Who are you?"

"Oh, I have no name. I just call myself as _myself_ or _me_. You can just call me anything."

Jack then asked. "What do you want?"

The dark entity went straight to the point. "Right. So I heard you won your battle against that demon Aku."

"Yes. What is it to you? Is he your brother?"

"Oh, no! I'm not related to him. I was born outside Time."

Jack draws out his sword. He doesn't care where the entity came from. All the matters that its presence frightens the people of the town. "Say your last words before I-"

The entity then said. "I can bring your beloved Ashi back."

The samurai hesitated. He wondered, _Is this entity a god of time? Why is he helping me? What is he planning?_ Jack asked the entity, "How are you going to bring her back when her father Aku is dead? Are you going to revive him?"

The entity explained, "Time is like a big river flowing towards one direction. Once it created the future, it is already there. However, when there are time travelers... like you, who changed the past to alter the future, I have some good fact for you. The future doesn't just disappear. What you just did, Jack, was severed it from the river of Time creating an uncertain future. It is good. But you might be wondering what happened the other half that you severed: the future. Well, it became a part of **ME**." The dark entity showed Jack thousands of alternate futures, moments and big events that were erased by hundreds of time travelers throughout existence. In one of those futures, Jack saw Ashi sitting under the tree filled with ladybugs. "Nice view, right?" The dark entity said. "That explains why you are still here. You did not even wonder how you came back to the past when Ashi doesn't exist. The answer is that she still exist within me. Even your friends and your adventures in the future are here inside me."

Jack was speechless. He cannot think of anything but Ashi. But then the samurai remembered about the intentions of the dark entity. "What do you want? You are going to use her to manipulate me-"

"Oh, no! That's not it!" The dark entity said. "I'm just giving you an opportunity to get your happiness back. Don't you want to be happy?"

"No." Jack answered. "I will not make deals with an entity like you."

"It is not just an opportunity. It's a duty as well."

The samurai listened. "What do you mean?"

The dark entity cleared his throat, even though he has none. "Listen closely. You are not alone in this universe."

"I know." Jack said. "I've met aliens, machines and creatures from strange lands-"

"That's not what I mean. There are people who threatens to destroy the entire existence! The Past! The Present! The Future! Including the ceased futures!" The dark entity told the samurai that there's a greater threat than Aku.

"Who? Who are these people?"

The entity showed him images of people that are unfamiliar to the samurai. "They have the six ancient stones that will destroy everything. I want you to retrieve all of them."

"Why me?"

"Because I sent three men to retrieve it. However, only one manage to retrieve a stone."

"Then 5 more to go."

"Yes." The dark entity asked. "So... are you going to do it?"

Jack answered, "I will do it. But promise me that-"

The entity crossed his heart. "I will bring her back in exchange for those stones. I promise."

"Then we have an agreement."

"Yes!" The entity opened a portal for the samurai's first destination. "Before you go, I have a gift for you." He poured his essence on to Jack's katana. Its blade changed into black with little dots of light like the starry night. Later, it turned back to its normal appearance.

"What did you do?"

"I turned it into a Celestial Sword. There are great forces out there, samurai. There are cloaked men and women who are willing to do anything to stop you. This blade can vanquish them from existence. Be careful."

Jack puts back the katana in his sheath and entered the portal.

Once the portal closed, the dark entity disappeared. Even without a face, the entity was laughing.

As he was traveling through the cosmic tunnel, Jack has other plans in mind. If he obtains the six stones, he will use it against the dark entity and free Ashi.

Most of his life, his only purpose is the kill Aku. But now his new purpose is Ashi's return.

 **=X=**


	2. The Samurai

**Author's Note:** This is a short scene/story for my upcoming story " **NU: River of Time"** The characters at the end is from another story as well. You can check out my story **"Dark Secrets: Infinite Winters"**

 **The Samurai**

The campfire crackle above the great canyon as the Samurai sleep. He began to dream about his beloved and his moments with her. He remembered those days and nights with her until their wedding day. Unfortunately, his dream ended with the same tragedy. He saw Ashi disappeared from existence. Her last words were still haunting. "Without Aku.. I would have never.. existed."

Those words.

 _"Without Aku..."_

Keeps repeating and repeating inside his head.

 _"Without Aku..."_

The samurai wondered if he stayed in the future and defeat Aku there. That would've saved Ashi. But then he remembered his duty to return to his family and people and save them from Aku's oppression. But he chose duty over love. The samurai began to regret it. Questioned himself, _Was it worth it?_

Suddenly, he heard horses neighing. The samurai immediately kicked the sand on the fire and went to the shadow corners of the great canyon. He got a glimpse of armored men riding their great horses across the desert. They were about to enter a small path through the canyons. Just like the dark entity told him. The samurai prepared his sword for a surprise attack.

He remembered what the entity told him. "As they enter the path, strike down the horseman at the back first."

And so the samurai did. He leaped and struck the horseman from behind. The other three stopped and saw their fallen comrade impaled by the white samurai.

The samurai knew who they are. He has to focus about the objective. "They are carrying the cargo every 13 days." He recalled the entity's words. "They transfer it to other places just to keep it away from mortal hands."

"Why have I not heard of this in legends before?" The samurai asked.

"Because dead men tell no tales." It makes sense for the samurai. These guys are not to mess with. And also this cargo is a small treasure chest. What's inside could help the samurai for his journey. Whatever it is, the dark entity told him that he needs it.

The three men in strange armors dismounted and faced the white samurai. One of them went forward and asked the mortal. "You dare strike down a Horseman. How brave of you. But care to tell us how do you know of this route?"

The samurai did not respond. He pulled out his sword from the dead horseman. Its blade stained with black goo. The corpse of the dead horseman disintegrated like ashes. The others were surprised to see the mortal wielding a Celestial Sword.

"That's impossible." The horseman with a bow said. "Where did you get that?"

No answer from the samurai. It's no use. The horsemen decided to use action instead of words. The drew out their weapons and prepare to face the mortal. "If this is what you want, prepare yourself!"

The samurai made the first attack, went straight towards the horseman with a long black sword. Their blades clashed for a second and then the samurai quickly jumped towards the second horseman carrying a spear and gave him a kick to the face. After that, he leapt towards the third one carrying a bow. He swung his sword vertically and cut the third horseman into half turning him into dust.

Two down. Two to go.

The swordsman said to the spearman. "Don't take him lightly. Give everything you got!"

The samurai did not face them again. He took the old chest and ran from them towards the canyon cave. Then the two men chased him. The swordsman swung his sword throwing flaming projectiles. The spearman went to another path climbing up the canyon. The samurai just went deep into the cave merging with the darkness. The swordsman's armor began to glowing like a burning furnace and as he walk towards the cave, steam leaking out from the metal plates.

"Where are you now?" The swordsman lights up his path by casting flames on the ground.

Then the mortal popped from the shadows and threw the old chest to the swordsman. His foe caught it but he dropped his sword in the process. Defenseless for a few seconds, the samurai struck the horseman with his sword and grabbed the chest from the dead man.

One enemy left.

As he remembered, the entity told him that if he killed all four horsemen, the chest will unlock. The Samurai doesn't like taking lives but the entity reassured him that everything is just a duty to save the entire existence.

Suddenly, the spearman jumped down for an attack. But he missed his target as the samurai quickly dodged his spear. The mortal struck the spearman with the chest, knocking him down and then struck him with the Celestial Sword. As the last horseman turned to dust, the chest unlocked itself. The samurai carefully puts down the chest and opened it to see the object inside. "Take it." The entity whispered to the Samurai as the object began to glow in front of him.

"What is this?" He asked.

"You'll need it." The entity said softly. "Wear it."

The Samurai carefully puts his left hand in the chest and wore a golden gauntlet. It glowed even more as he took it out from the chest. He then noticed a purple gem attached on it. "What is this?"

The entity educated him. "This is the gem that helps you get to anywhere you want. And I mean anywhere." Then he added just to make clear. "Your beloved is not in the Beyond. She's still inside me. What's there is your nemesis Aku. So you don't need to go there to find her."

"Understood." The samurai took the gauntlet with him as he began to take a new course. "Where are we going?"

However, the chest suddenly closed itself. Once it was locked, the ashes of the four horsemen were gathered and revived all of them. As they returned, they saw the Samurai wielding the gauntlet. Their eyes turned burning red showing their anger. The entity responded, "Time to go."

The gem opened a portal for the samurai and took him somewhere away from the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse.

* * *

Outside Time itself, the Council of Time witnessed the Samurai taking the gauntlet. Later they knew they have opponents coming for their champion. Horatius communicated to the noble knight Jack about his upcoming opponent.

"He is coming for you." Horatius said to the knight.

Wielding three gems in his armor, Jack replied "I'm ready. Just give me a minute." He pulled out his flaming sword with the red gem attached on its blade from the corpses of Asgardians who fought to protect their king Odin.

The god king of Asgard saw the gems attached on to the knight. "Boy, you have no idea what those gems can do to mortals like you. One titan once gathered all of them and nearly destroyed everything."

The knight did not listen. He responded. "Will that be your last words, the god who cursed my queen?"

"It wasn't me. It was-" He then slain by the Knight before he could say the name.

The flaming sword decapitated the god and his head burst into light disappeared along with his body. Once it was over, the knight asked Horatius. "Which god do I have to kill next?"

Horatius smirked.

 **=X=**


	3. The Daughter

**The Daughter**

The last thing she remembered was lying in his arms at their wedding day. Ashi woke up and noticed she's lying in someone's lap. She turned and saw her mother, unmasked and different.

Quickly, Ashi got up with shock. "You! What are you doing here?"

"What are you talking about? I'm here for you, Ashi." The priestess said. "Everyone's here."

Ashi looked around her and noticed she's back in the cave. Then she encountered her six sisters who were alive and well.

"Hello, sister." Avi said.

"Hello, too." Ami responded.

"We're glad you are okay." Aki was worried.

Ashi was puzzled. "How is this possible?"

"I can explain what happened." A familiar voice answered her from the back.

She turned around and saw her father Aku alive and well, tall and powerful right in front of her. "You're alive?"

"Of course, I am." Aku said. "But I can explain."

Ashi listened to her demon father.

"Well, I have encountered entities who were beyond the knowledge of gods. I met one entity who claimed to be the Time itself!" Aku said. "Of course, a naive entity told me the workings of Time. There, I have found an escape plan to save myself from being erased from existence."

Then Ashi asked, "So you planned this from the start?"

"YEEEEESSSSSSS." Aku answered her with an evil grin. But then he added. "Honestly, I didn't think this through. I did not expect that meddling with the past will create a new entity. Now this new dude kept us prisoner here."

Suddenly, a voice called out to them. "And this entity has chose a name! Call me Oblitus!" The entity's colossal eye appeared in front of them. "So, what do you think of my name?"

Aku commented, "Eh... doesn't feel threatening for me."

The Priestess said. "It's okay. That name could work."

And the daughters of Aku shared their opinions. "It's alright." "Change it into Oblivitor." "How about the Nameless Entity?" "I don't think it will work." "I'm sorry. But it sucks."

Then Ashi asked, "Why are we still here?"

Oblitus was surprised at her. "Seriously? You ask me after I saved you from your non-existential demise? Well, it will not happen because the future was already set. When you helped the Samurai kill Aku, history changed which means the River of Time was severed. The _erased_ future will become me. The new entity of Time!"

Aku simplified. "That means he is the alternate timeline. We are now separated from the main timeline which is okay. That means... I still rule this universe!" The demon cried with joy. His daughters and the Priestess rejoiced. "No more samurai! No more magic swords to kill me!"

"Oh, no..." Ashi said. "What have I done?" She began to wonder what should've been the alternative. Send Jack back to the past after she was born or kill Aku in the future and send Jack back to the past and tell him not to kill Aku. Just seal him somewhere he will rise again and face the future Jack. So many alternatives and she took the easy way. But it was stupid. Stupid. Stupid! Stupid! She thought it would work.

Now she knows that her future father is still alive in this timeline prison. She must find a way to communicate to Jack in the main timeline.

If only...

* * *

The Samurai looked at the gauntlet, inspecting its function. He asked the entity, "What is this for again?"

The time entity showed him the history of the gauntlet. Images of people, aliens and humans, fighting to claim the gauntlet. "As you can see here, millions of people in every timeline wanted to have the gauntlet. It is the weapon of power. Whoever wields it can rule the universe."

The samurai saw the image of a large armored man wearing the gauntlet while standing on the mountain of corpses.

"However, there are people who wants to destroy it." The entity chuckled. "But they failed. Instead, they plan to separate the gems that was attached on it. Six gems of power."

"And they did, right?"

"They did but it caused them their life."

"What happened?"

A large image of a titan slaughtered these people. But one hero manage to defeat the titan by cutting the titan's arm that was wearing the gauntlet. The titan was lost and the gems were separated across worlds.

The samurai began to understand why the entity wanted it.

However, the time entity reassured to the warrior. "I wanted you to complete the gauntlet because Time is about to reach its end."

"What is the threat? How will Time end?"

"The War at the River of Time... this is the greatest threat of all."

The samurai doesn't trust the entity. His intentions doesn't seem believable. He'll just pretend that he trusts him.

The dark entity doesn't trust the samurai as well. He knows the mortal's main motive. He already prepared a plan if the man betrayed him. "Anyway, now that you have the gauntlet. It is time to go fetch the stone that my only subordinate got."

"Alright." The samurai picked his sword and wore the left-hand gauntlet.

A portal opened and the mortal warrior entered, heading to his next destination.

* * *

Ashi wanted to leave this celestial prison. She went up to the mountain to see how big the prison is. However, she was followed by her sisters Ami and Avi.

"What are you trying to do, sister?" Ami asked.

"A way out." Ashi answered. She took a good look at the world. "It looked normal. No barriers. No walls. It looked the same."

Avi wanted to let her know. "It's everything, Ashi. This Time is our prison and we are part of this entity now. There's no escape, sister. Just give up."

Ashi believes there's a way. "Jack will find a way."

"The samurai?" Ami began to remember. "Oh, right. The person we were ordered to kill. Yeah. How can he help us? He succeeds on killing our father."

Avi added, "And I was told by father that you helped him!"

"Our father is not what we think he is!" Ashi tried to defend her decision. "The samurai was not the one destroying the world. It was our father Aku! He destroyed the world and ruled it for thousands of years."

"Stop defending him, sister. Ami showed her hatred towards her sister. "You loved him. You are weak."

Out of rage, Ashi punched Ami's face. "Weak? Remember, I was born first. I'm the leader."

Avi corrected her. "Was." She attacked her but she was easily tackled down.

"Stand down!" Ashi yelled.

"Stop it!" The High Priestess stopped her three daughters from killing each other. "You foolish children! If you kill her again, she will just be revived by the entity."

"What?" Ashi was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Her mother revealed her the truth. "When we got here and knew about your betrayal, we killed you, Ashi. We killed you countless times. But the entity kept on reviving you back. We reached to the point where we stopped killing you."

Shocked by the revelation, Ashi wondered. "Why does the entity revive me?"

Ami answered, "No clue. The only think we know is that the entity wanted you alive."

Avi speculated. "It appears we wanted to collect us. Display us in his collection. 'Seven Daughters of Aku' Complete and minted."

Then Ashi began to think. "Wait. We are the daughters of Aku, right?"

"Yes." Their mother wondered what Ashi was thinking.

"We all have his powers."

"Correct." Avi said.

"Do you have a plan in mind, Ashi?" Ami asked.

"Yes. I know what we will do. Call the rest of our sisters. I want father here as well. We need his power as well."

Even though they despised her, the followed Ashi's command and ran off to call the others. The Priestess went up to her eldest daughter, "So what do you have in mind?"

"We are from the Future, right?"

"Yes."

"Then we must go back to the Past."

 **=X=**


	4. Back to the Beginning

**Back to the Beginning**

Ashi and her sisters formed a circular diagram and they held each other's hands. Aku and the Priestess watched their daughters' doing, hoping they will help them break free from Oblitus' prison. The demon said, "I do pray they succeed."

The Priestess responded, "I do pray too."

Aku turned to the masked woman and seemed to be nervous. He tried to talk to her for months now. "So... you raised your daughters and train them to kill the Samurai...for me."

"Yes." She said with a bitter voice. "But they failed."

"But still... you raised them good." Aku commented. "You are a great mother."

The Priestess noticed something unusual about her lord. "Is there something you want to say, my lord?"

Her soft voice gave him chills, Aku tried to change the subject. "Anyway, we should hurry before Oblitus noticed our doings."

However, they were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Stop what you are doing, Aku!"

Ashi recognized the voice. She got a glimpse of the person. It's a king with a golden crown, long grey hair and beard and wields the magical sword that was used to kill Aku. Ashi couldn't recognise him until she saw his eyes directly. "Jack?"

However, it was not the Jack she knew. It was the Jack who became an old legendary king and defeated Aku in their final battle. The old king Jack responded to the young girl. "I heard you are the daughter of Aku. I'll give you and your sisters a chance to stand down and leave this cult of Aku."

Ashi answered. "I'm not with Aku anymore! I just want to get out of here."

Old king Jack raised his sword and challenged the seven sisters. "And you will preach about Aku's existence and power? No. I will not allow it."

The Priestess asked her lord. "Who is this man, my lord?"

Aku revealed his past deed. "Well, he came from the 'future' where he ultimately defeated me in the future as an old war king. When I was close to being defeated or killed, I sent a piece of myself back to the past. I have an information about Jack's prophecy. And so I sent it to my past self."

"And what did you do?"

"I killed the Guardian and all Time Portals. Because of that, the prophecy was cancelled." Then Aku commented. "But when I messed up the timeline, I turned the Samurai into an immortal. He didn't turn into an old man. It's a big side effect of messing with prophecies."

"Now, that explains everything."

The six daughters attacked the old king with all they got.

Old man Jack handled them very well. Fifty years of fighting bandits, robots and armies made him strong and formidable. But he didn't killed them. He just knocked them out one by one unlike the other samurai that Ashi knew.

As the leader of the group, Ashi told her sisters to stop. "Stand down! There's no need to fight!"

The old king stopped but then Avi punched his face. Jack glared and punched her back giving her a broken nose.

"Alright! Stop!" Ashi yelled. "Avi! Stand down!"

Everybody calmed down.

Ashi explained to the old king. "Please, let us be. We are planning to escape here."

"Escape? Why?" The old king's tone changed like he doesn't seem to be aware of being imprisoned. "This place is paradise. No more corruption. No more darkness. No more demons." He then paused and set his eyes on Aku. "Until he showed up. I have no idea why you're still alive. I killed you."

Aku corrected him. "You _defeated_ me. That's what you did, oh old samurai boy."

"That's enough, Aku!" Ashi scolded her father. "If you want to get out of here, then shut up!"

The demon silenced himself, made a zipper-mouth gesture.

But before Ashi could explain the old king, the dark entity Oblitus returned to check on them. "I feel something strange... suspicious. Are you guys planning to escape?"

Aku expanded himself to hide his daughters' doing behind his shadows. "No. We are just discussing some... family matters." The demon tried to use his wise words to divert the entity's suspicions. "You know... just father and daughters discussing about their failures. You wouldn't understand because you don't have kids."

"Sure." Oblitus agreed. "I have no plans having kids."

While the demon distracted dark entity, Ashi pulled the old king away from sight and the daughters started to open a time portal on the diagram. Seven girls released their power creating a large time portal by their screams. It caused a rupture in Time.

Oblitus felt a sting. "What is this feeling?"

Aku tried his best. "Stomachache?"

Knowing it was not stomachache and Aku being obviously lying, the dark entity pushed the demon aside. "What are you hiding?" He saw the seven daughters created a time portal. "NO!"

Quickly, Aku punched the entity's large eye from its dark halo and yelled to his daughters. "Go! I'll hold him off!"

They successfully opened a time portal and escaped the alternate future. "It's open! Go!" Ashi said. Her sisters jumped through the portal along with their mother. Later, the old king Jack decided to follow them. He was curious about the sisters. The last who went in was Ashi. The time portal began to close, Aku manage to threw a part of him through the portal and escaped Oblitus.

* * *

The night was cold and the mortal warrior took some rest inside a small cave and made camp. He began to wonder how long will it take to collect all the stones. He even wondered what if the entity will not give Ashi back or there was no Ashi. What if everything is a lie? The samurai could not sleep. He's overthinking things. He tried to rest his mind and think about it tomorrow.

Sleeping for 10 minutes, the samurai woke up hearing the entity talking to him. He picked up his sword and talked to it. "What is it?"

"We need to go." Oblitus said. He sounded like he was in a hurry.

"Why?"

"You want your Ashi back?"

The samurai felt something's off. He answered. "Yes."

"Then we must hurry!"

"Where are we going?"

Oblitus peeked through the river of time and saw the noble knight wielding three stones about to kill the last Egyptian God: Ra. He knew that god has connections with the samurai. With in luck, he can use this. "Do you know a god name Ra?"

The mortal warrior recalled that name. "Yes. I remember him. He gave my father the Magic Katana."

"Okay. Well, he's dead."

The Samurai was shocked by the news. "How is this possible?"

"I told you. Gods are getting killed one by one. The threat is getting worse and worse."

Anger filled his heart, the Samurai asked the entity. "Show me his face."

Oblitus opened a clear image of the threat. It is the knight wielding three gems. One on his sword, the other is on his chest plate and the last one is attached on his left arm. The knight was finishing off the last of the Hindu pantheon. He decapitated Shiva's throat despite the god's plea for mercy. "Be wary, samurai." The entity warned. "He has the amulet, the heart and the eye. He's more powerful than the gods in existence including the demon Aku."

The Japanese warrior has experienced extremely dangerous creatures and warriors. He's not afraid to face the knight himself. "I don't care. Take me to him." He slide his sword back to the sheath and prepared the gauntlet.

The dark entity liked the rage pumping inside the mortal's heart. "Good."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the past, Ashi and the others with her arrived on a small town of feudal Japan. The old king Jack arrived last along with a small portion of Aku. The townspeople were frightened by their sudden arrival and appearance.

Avi commented, "They don't like us."

Ashi retorted. "Obviously. We looked like assassins."

"You are all assassins." The Priestess said.

The old king Jack asked Ashi. "Where are we now?"

The daughter of Aku made a guess. "We are in Japan. The same place. Different time."

"Okay." The Priestess asked. "Which time is this?"

Ashi remembered that special day. "My wedding day. Before I disappeared..."

Her sisters were disgusted to hear it. "You are marrying the man who killed us and our father?" Ami hated to know their leader Ashi gave her body and soul to their murderer.

The portion of Aku doesn't care what Ashi did but he wanted to know why they were there. "Why did you transport us back to this time? Why not far back?"

"I wanted to go back where I left off. I want to be with Jack."

Then the rage inside the sisters' hearts sparked after knowing they were outside the entity's prison. Aki whispered to her sisters and they all agreed to one thing. The Priestess heard her daughters and what they will do. Ashi can feel Jack's presence. He's far away but it felt close to her. "I'm coming home, Jack."

Unfortunately, there will be no reunion. "Thank you for getting us out, sister." Ami said. "But this is for betraying us." All six sisters let out their power to Ashi creating time portals around her. Ashi could not do anything as she was caught by the vacuum of multiple portals and tore her apart. She screamed in agony as every molecule in her body was ripped apart. Old king Jack was shocked by their treachery. "NO!" The old man attacked the six sisters however he was overwhelmed by their infernal might.

The High Priestess witnessed the slaughter. Her eyes were fascinated by her daughters.

The sisters watched the old samurai's burning corpse. "He's not our concern now." Aki said. "We have a samurai to kill." They set their eyes to the past Samurai. The sisters dashed towards the palace of the Samurai to finish the job.

The portion of Aku was glad to see his daughters still have their purpose. "I'm proud of you all." Then he was picked up by the High Priestess. "Certainly. They are what they were trained for."

 **=X=**


	5. Inevitable

**Inevitable**

The sisters infiltrated the palace. Knowing it was a big event, they blend in to the crowd. They evaded the guards' sights and easily entered the Emperor's palace. The assassins split up into two teams. Avi and Aki were leading the sneak attack from both sides.

Ami noticed a lot of people from different cultures came to the event. She began to wonder why would they come to this place just to celebrate a wedding.

They watched the event closely and carefully, waiting for the right time to strike.

When it started, they spotted the Samurai in his traditional wedding robe. Aki gripped her weapon tight, ready to strike down her target.

"There she is." They saw Ashi in her white gown marching towards the altar. Aki wanted to do it again but Ami stopped her and told her to wait for a little while. And so they did. They watched the event unfolds. There they saw their sister fell down and the Samurai ran to help her. They can't hear what she said but she knew she regret it for killing their father. Aki grinned as she imagined that scenario.

Past Ashi began to fade from existence, that's the sign the girls were waiting for. They waited as Ashi's entire existence disappeared and then they attack. Six sisters launched themselves to the air and set their sights on the unaware and saddened Samurai. They raised their weapons and swung it to their enemy.

* * *

The High Priestess and the little Aku heard the screams from the palace. The demon entity laughed knowing his daughters did their job. "Good! Good! I can't believe I'm going to say this again but-"

"Now it is done, my lord." The Priestess was carrying the little portion of Aku and patted it like it was her pet. The demon liked it. "What are your plans? Now that your Past is dead, are you going to do next?"

"Rebuild my palace. Start an army. Back to the beginning."

"Sounds like a lot of work."

Then Aku tried to ask her but a little embarrassed about it. "Will you- uh, well..."

The woman began to feel something different about her lord and master. "Is there something you want to say, my lord?"

"Okay. Yes. I have something to say. Ask, actually." Aku took his time to breathe before he asked her. "Will you accompany me for conquering the universe again?"

The High Priestess paused for a moment before realizing the special request. She immediately answered him. "My will is your will, my lord. I can do anything you ask."

"That's great!"

But suddenly, out from nowhere, a sword impaled the High Priestess' back directly through her heart. The woman wailed in pain and died instantly. Little Aku fell from her hands and crawled away quickly from the killer. Aku did not look back who did it but he knew he will die.

Before he could escape, the magic katana blocked his way. Aku halted and terrified to see the shining weapon again. "No! NO! This cannot be!"

An old man picked it up and showed his face to the little demon. "I'm done with you, Aku." I was the old king Jack. He lives.

"How? I saw you die!"

"You can say it is Celtic magic." The old samurai smirked.

Later, a voice spoke to them. "I found you."

* * *

Aki and her sisters struck the past Samurai down. Their weapons landed to the target with great force. They felt their target crushed as they held their weapons tightly. But what comes next was entirely unexpected.

They were weapons were stopped by their sister Ashi.

"Impossible!" Aki pulled back her weapon to strike her sister again. "You're suppose to be dead!"

The sisters back away and watched Aki and Ashi fight.

"Why are you not dead?!" Aki swinged her sword swiftly but cannot land a hit.

Ashi gracefully dodged them until she managed to grab the sword and used it to slashed Aki's throat. Her traitorous sister fell to the ground, trying to stop her bleeding neck. Blood gushed out from her head quickly. Aki lost consciousness before she succumb to her wounds. "Damn... you... sister-"

Now five of the daughters back away as their sister Ashi returned.

"How?" Ami was bewildered by her sister's survival. "We tore you apart."

Then Ashi, her eyes filled with rage and regret, made a decision. "I'm done helping you all." She dropped the sword and revealed that they're still inside the dark entity Oblitus. The bright sun turned into a large eye and looked at them like insects. The entity's sudden appearance wiped out the past Samurai, the crowd and the palace like dust revealing that it is just an illusion. "Do you really think you could escape me?" Oblitus chuckled. "I am your Past and Future now! I own you! You are no longer connected to the main time stream."

Feeling saddened knowing she cannot get out, Ashi gave up and leave her sisters alone. "Don't worry about Aki. She will be back soon."

Oblitus started to like Ashi as she lost all hope. Now she will never try to get out again. Then the entity sets its eye to the sisters. "Now, let's talk about this. For the last time... STOP. KILLING. MY COLLECTION!"

The sisters trembled in fear for the first time.

* * *

The Samurai arrived at the holy temple of the Egyptian gods and saw the slaughter that occurred.

They were too late.

"It appears he knows we are coming."

The samurai asked, "How?"

"He has the Eye. He can see multiple events. Manipulates time and space." Oblitus tried to figure out how to get to them. "He'll be real hard to catch."

"Unless we make him come to us." The samurai went into the temple.

The fallen gods were scattered around the place. He speculated the corpses. They looked like hollow shells. What's inside must be their souls. There are signs of liquid gold. It could be what the legends said; those are the blood of the gods. "How is this possible?"

Communicating through the sword, Oblitus answered. "The knight has the Heart of Pyralis. With it, no god is safe."

"Who is this Pyralis?" The Samurai light up a torch to see his path.

"It's the Entity of Power. He is titled as the most powerful deity in all existence."

"Religion?"

"Nothing. No religion. He has no worshippers."

The mortal warrior asked. "Why is that?"

Oblitus educated him. "Because Pyralis doesn't go around telling mortals to worship him. That was not his role."

"What's his role anyway?"

Before the entity could answer, they were interrupted by the loud cry up ahead. The Samurai light up his way and saw the dying goddess Isis. The mortal ran towards the 8-foot deity. When he was about to say something, the goddess recognized him. "It's you. ... You're him. The samurai warrior."

"Yes. I'm 'Jack'. Call me Jack."

"S...strange name... for an Asian man." The goddess's golden blood gushed out from her womb and her skin began to break like old ceramic. "Stop him." She said. "You got to stop him."

"I will. I promise." The Samurai made an oath. "I will stop him."

The goddess raised her hand and placed her finger on to the Samurai's forehead, showing him the light. "Use it well." She spoke her last words and her soul left the world leaving only her hollow shell.

Once it's over, Oblitus assured to the Samurai. "We can bring her back with the gems, you know. You just need to have all of them."

"I know that." The man drew out his sword. "Now, show me what you want me to see." The Celestial Sword released a wisp of light and made a trail for the Samurai to follow. The mortal followed into the dark chambers of the temple. At the end of the trail, he saw the large hieroglyphs. Samurai read it and learned the big story. "This is not the first time."

Oblitus replied. "You are correct. It happened before and now it's happening again."

The Samurai light up the rest of the hieroglyphs and saw the terrible event that happened centuries ago. All of the gods from different pantheons faced one common enemy: a large man wielding the golden glove that Samurai was wearing. If the knight gets all of them, it will happen again. "What happened to this man again?"

"He's not the threat right now." Oblitus showed the mortal the image of the knight again. "He's your target."

The warrior also remembered that he doesn't trust the dark entity. He just have to be careful. There's a big possibility that everything is just a lie and the knight was his accomplice. Many possibilities can happen and the Samurai tried to focus in one. He reminded himself why he's doing this.

It's for Ashi.

 _Don't worry, Ashi._ He made a promise. _I will save you._

"Oh, right!" Oblitus forgot something. "We should've stop by to my subordinate. He has one of the stones. We can use it to defeat the knight."

"No need." The Samurai said. "I can defeat him."

"He has three gems and you have one. What are you going to do?"

The mortal warrior answered, "I have a plan."

* * *

Meanwhile, Ashi felt his words inside her heart. Ashi lie down on the warm summer grass and watched the blue sky, hoping to see her beloved again. The revived High Priestess and her daughters watched her hopeless state. They began to realize what they did. Ashi tried to help them get out but in return, they betrayed her.

The sisters were filled with remorse and shame, including the High Priestess.

But then the essence of Aku spoke to them. "Cheer up! We can just move on and conquer this 'alternate' future' then! There will be that nosy old Samurai but we can take him down. What do you say?"

The Priestess and his daughters ignored him.

"We have reached the end of the line, girls." Their mother said. "After we took our revenge, killing Ashi countless times, I have reached the point where everything seems pointless. ...And... I can't continue."

Aku watched his number one worshipper removed her headdress and mask and threw it aside. "Girls... what are you doing?"

The Priestess spread her long dark hair and showed him her pale beautiful face.

Sad.

And lost.

"It is time to go to our separate ways. Turn over a new leaf." She puts down the little dark essence of the her god. "Goodbye, my lord." Three of his daughters joined their mother to find a new place in the alternate future that includes Avi. The remaining two did not join them. Ami left her family behind, wanting to look for another goals in her life. Just a little like Ashi, she always wanted to wander around the world. Especially, she wanted to know what kind of creature she saw from the forest back then.

However, Aki did not changed her path. She picked up her father and made an oath. "I'll always be there to serve you, father."

Aku grinned.

 **=X=**


	6. Face Off

**Face Off**

Oblitus transported the Samurai to his destination where he will encounter the Knight shortly. The dark entity said to the mortal man. "I hope you know what you are doing."

"I know." The Samurai stepped on the large temple where the Aztec gods dwell. He encountered those beings and with his presence, they knew what's going to happen.

One of the gods exclaimed, "I know you. You are the one who vanquished the dark god Aku." Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec god of time and Lord of the North, approached the mortal man and wondered. "I've heard the other gods have fallen. Can you stop the god killer from slaughtering us?"

The Samurai reassured. "I can try. But I have a plan." He looked at the gods and they were shaking in fear. "But I need your full cooperation."

"We can do anything you want just to stop this mad man."

* * *

Ashi slept on the warm summer grass for an hour until she woke up from a creature that was licking her cheek. It was a dog. Primitive. Appears to have no sign of intelligence. It patted and ran around her like its happy to see her awake. "Hey, buddy." She patted the dog's head and rubs its back. "What are you doing here?"

Suddenly, her sister Ami approached her and then apologized. "I'm sorry for what I did back there. I know it's a big stab at the back but-"

A dagger pierced her throat quickly and Ami fell down to the ground bleeding.

Ashi threw it and watched her sister bleed to death. "Now we are even." She smiled at her and her sister smiled back.

Minutes later, Ami's body began to glow and then restored her fixed form. Her wound was repaired. "So you forgive me?"

"Of course."

Ami smiled at the fact that her eldest sister still forgives. She sat down next to her and watched the sun setting. "What are we going to do now?"

Ashi answered, "For now, we pray that Jack finds a way to get us out of here."

"Does he know you still exist?"

"I know he knows. I can feel him. His words." Ashi said.

Her sister asked her, "Do you really love him?"

The former assassin chuckled at the fact that she and Jack were together for a year now. "Dearly. I loved him so much. I can't explain it."

However, they were interrupted by an explosion from a far away town. The two girls ran towards it to investigate. The people there were being mercilessly slaughtered by an unknown man. When the dust settled, they found the culprit.

He saw the two women and expressed his first thoughts. "Yeah, baby! Two strong women trying to face me. Man, I'm lucky today!"

"Who are you?" Ashi questioned the android.

"Be-bee-ba-boo-bo-da... I'm Scaramouche the Merciless! The Pied-Piper of Ruination, the Crooner of Carnage, the Ambassador of Annihilation, the Eradicator of All, baby!"

Ami commented, "Never heard of you."

Scaramouche expressed his disappointment. "Seriously? I'm Aku's favorite assassin. Ring any bells, babe?"

The two girls shook their heads. They have no clue about his identity.

The android grunted but then kept his cool. "Anyway, I'm here to wreck havoc to bring the Samurai and fight me. It is best for you to die first before he gets here." He pulled out his flute and started playing his music. Large rocks from the ruins of the town began to levitate and flew straight to the two women.

Ashi and Ami dodged all of it at ease. "What's the plan?" Ami asked her sister.

"Take out his flute!"

Ami picked up a stone and aimed it at the android's flute. When she got a good shot of it, she threw the stone with her might. It traveled so fast that it flew like a bullet. She got the flute and destroy it.

"Hey!" Scaramouche exclaimed. "Do you know how expensive that is?"

But without any hesitation once her sister took out the flute, Ashi attacked the android and delivered a powerful kick to his metal face. Unfortunately, the kick was not strong enough. The android grinned at Ashi. "You can't hurt me, baby. No one can!" He grabbed her leg and threw her back to her sister.

Ami caught her but then did not expect the android to attack them at the same time. She took a kick to the face. Both of them went down. They tried to evaluate their next move. "We have to take him seriously. Take him out if we have to."

"But if we kill him" Ami said. "That entity will bring him back."

"If we die, we will be back as well." Ashi said "It is a try-and-die situation."

"You mean Die Trying."

"You get what I mean."

The android flexed his fingers and prepared himself. "Alright! Alright! I'm going to go easy on you two, baby."

Ami responded, "Don't bother." Then they attacked the android at the same time.

* * *

The Knight had arrived and looked at the great Aztec temple. But he felt something's off. Horatius asked his knight. "What's wrong, mortal?"

"It feels abandoned."

"Use the eye."

Before the knight could use the gem, he was interrupted by Xiuhtecuhtli. He who claimed to be also a god of time struck the knight with an orb of time, restricting him for time-travel or looking at the future. Then the attack continued by Tezcatlipoca, Tlazolteotl and Xochiquetzal.

The Samurai watched as the gods tried their powers against the knight. Unfortunately, they were not strong enough to contain him. But they did their part.

Distraction.

Oblitus watched the samurai warrior unsheathed the celestial sword, preparing for a strike.

The Knight used the red power from his sword and struck the Aztec gods with its crimson might. "You are ready for me, eh? Bring it on then! Show me what you got!" He leaped towards Tezcatlipoca and thrust his burning sword through the god's heart.

As one god died, the samurai strikes. With his mighty swing, he abled to landed a blow to knight's arm hoping to disarm him. His blade pierced through the armor but not the man's skin. It has been covered by the red gem's energy. Quickly, the samurai attacks again but this time to the neck, thinking of finishing him off already.

He was unprepared for the samurai's appearance. He did not expect him to be there. That is why there was something off as he arrived. The samurai was invisible in time. He wonder how was that possible.

Knowing he can't escape death with time-travel this time, the knight used the purple gem and transported himself away from the samurai, opening a portal to escape.

"He's escaping!" cried the Aztec gods. "We scared him off!"

Without any hesitation, the samurai followed the fleeing knight into the unknown.

The two descended through the cosmic tunnel travelling at the speed of light. The Samurai can feel his body stretching as he reached his hand on to the knight. It is like free falling but the space begins to bend as you fall too fast.

The knight noticed his foe followed him through the portal. He knew he will not stop. "GET AWAY!"

The samurai reached down to his opponent. He grabbed the man's steel boot and pulled him slowly.

Death lingers and it made the knight's spine crawl. Quickly, he used his sword to cut the cosmic tunnel which ended their travel in a sudden halt. The two men dropped at one of the rivers of Japan.

The samurai made it out alright but the knight did not resurface. With his heavy armor, he's sinking down fast. The Samurai wanted to save him but the entity advised him not to. "It's better to leave him there. It's his grave." The entity asked. "Do you still have the gauntlet?"

"It's still here." He raised his left hand and showed him the metal glove. "What do you want me to-" Suddenly, a burst of red light was shot to the samurai, sending him to the shore.

The knight emerged from the boiling water and landed at the shore. He's no longer afraid. He's frustrated. "Stop meddling my quest!" He yelled.

The samurai responded. "Your quest for total annihilation ends here!"

"It's not annihilation! It's rebirth!" The knight explained his motives. The entity doesn't like what he wants to hear from the armored man. "There are too many gods in this world! Too many gods of war. Too many gods of time. Too many goddess of love. TOO DAMN MANY!"

"Why do you want to-" But the samurai was interrupted by Oblitus who advised to stop asking.

"It's pointless, samurai. He will not change his mind."

The knight was telepathically contacted by the cloaked man Horatius. "Stop telling him about our motive. Don't be like the others." The knight understood and so he kept his mouth shut.

They looked at each other like warriors preparing for a single strike waiting for someone to attack first.

Samurai Jack waited for the knight to move first.

Sir Jack waited for the samurai to move first.

Two remained still, waiting for one of them to attack.

Hands sweating.

Legs shaking.

Eyes focusing at the enemy.

Both breathe and waited patiently.

Oblitus then commented, "This is going to take a while." The entity moved and dropped a small rock on the ground which caused a sudden sound. It startled the knight, lost his focus. Immediately, the samurai attack in great speed. It seemed to be one-sided fight at first but the knight managed to block the attack. The red gem reacted.

It protected the wielder.

The samurai attacked again but he was repelled by the knight's blazing flames. Fortunately, the samurai has the gauntlet with him. It's protecting him from harm. The mortal soon realized the function of the glove. He waited for the knight to stop and once he did, the samurai leaped forward and threw a punch with the gauntlet at the armored man.

That single blow sent the knight flying to the other side of the river.

It did not killed him but it broke his helmet. The knight removed it and noticed the large crack. "That's impossible." He wondered how did the samurai manage to land a powerful hit on him when the red stone was with him. Then Horatius answered his question. "It's gauntlet. It negates the gem's abilities."

"How is that possible? I thought these things have infinity power!"

"The queen is the most powerful piece in the board. She can go almost any direction. But there are certain blocks that she cannot go. She's not like the Knight."

Sir Jack hated chess metaphors. "Just shut up and tell him how to defeat him."

Horatius took a closer look at the samurai, squinted his eyes. "I'll be right back. Just keep him busy." The cloaked man disappeared.

Samurai Jack noticed something off about the knight. "He's like talking to himself."

Oblitus said. "It's someone. And I think I know who." The entity then said. "Keep him busy. I'll be right back."

The samurai looked at the white-haired knight. He can tell that the gems have done something to him. He began to theorized that the gems were very dangerous for a mortals to carry unless they have the gauntlet. He took a look at it and saw something he did not spot before.

There were six compartments... for the six stones.

And one of the compartments have a slither of the red stone.

With that little detail, the samurai realized that the gauntlet did not just negate the power of the red stone. It absorbed it. Now he knows why Oblitus wanted him to have the glove. Its function is not just to hold the stone together but to absorb them. It is like a magnet to the stones. With that speculation, the samurai wanted to try it out.

He raised the gauntlet and tried to use its power to absorb the stone from the knight.

But then the dark entity came back. "That don't work like that."

"Then tell me what to do."

The Knight noticed his opponent was talking to himself. "Or it could be someone else." He knew his opponent was not alone. Suspected that the samurai was talking to him leaving him open. The man took that opportunity to strike. With the purple gem, he dashed towards the samurai and landed a swift blow. However, he did not expect what happened next.

The samurai managed to block his sword. He then said to the armored man. "It's unwise to strike me like that."

"And why is that?" The knight moved back from his foe.

The Japanese warrior showed him one of the compartment of the gauntlet having a small purple fragment. The gauntlet absorbed the purple stone's power.

The knight realized his mistake. "Well, I'll be damned."

 **=X=**


	7. End of the Line

**End of the Line**

The entity Oblitus followed the cloaked man and caught him discussing around a group of cloak people like him. They wore the same brown ragged cloak and hood. Oblitus said, "It's a surprise to see you all here, Council of Time."

Horatius turned to Oblitus. He removed his hood to reveal his scarred face, left eye is pale like the full moon and the right is bright like the morning sun and his long silver hair glowed like the moonlight. "Dark creature... you have the appearance of the Entity of Time but your halo and clothes are altered. Who are you?"

One of the cloaked men spoke to Horatius. "He could be from beyond, brother. Another Time. Another Reality."

Oblitus was proud that these entities have no clue who he is. That's where uses his grand introduction. "I am Oblitus! The Entity of Ceased Futures! I hail at the shadow of the River of Time!"

Horatius looked at his fellowmen and they were not fazed by his appearance. "You are nothing."

A little hurt by that statement, the dark entity retorted. "I AM SOMETHING! I have all the futures and events that were erased by the time travellers in all realities! All of these events will be part of me! And only me!" He showed them images of events that they never saw before.

Horatius saw some familiar ones and he was amazed by the laws of nature. "So... nothing can be erased after all. They just- relocated."

"Yes." Oblitus then asked. "Now tell me why are you killing these gods and collect these gems."

"We are not collecting them." One of the cloaked people spoke and it was a woman. She removed her hood and revealed the same features like Horatius. One eye is white and the other was golden and has a long silver hair. However, she doesn't have a scar on her face like Horatius. "We are here to change all realities. Gods and goddesses must die and there will be only one for all realities!"

Oblitus was suspicious. He scanned the ceased alternate futures and see what was averted. Later, he found it and understood their grand plan. "The Eternal Inferno. You plan to kill all gods because the next host of the Eternal Inferno... will be a god."

Horatius learned that dark entity means trouble. "Brothers and sisters, eliminate him." The cloaked people conjured almighty dimensional blades that can tear time barriers and reality apart.

The dark entity was amazed. "Impressive. I can do that too." He waved his hand and summoned a large blade that can slice a solar system. "Too much?"

The entire council of time attacked Oblitus at once and they were sure they could defeat him by numbers.

Horatius stayed back and watched.

* * *

Samurai Jack and Sir Jack fought. Their blades clashed against each other. Both possessing the red stone's power, none of them can outmatch the other. They're now equal and the knight hated it.

He struck him again but the red power was absorbed by the samurai's glove. It frustrates him even more.

Noticing the red fragment on the gauntlet started the get bigger, he knew it will be pointless if he continues using it against the samurai. Instead he made a deal that will change their battle. "No weapons!"

"Excuse me?" The samurai was surprised by the outburst.

"No weapons, Asian! No magic stones! No magical items!" The knight said. "Just fists."

The samurai has some second thoughts about it. It could be a trap that would left him defenseless. "How can I trust you?"

The knight said. "I'm a noble knight and I just wanted a fair fight. I would never dare cheat."

"Alright. But you go first."

The white haired warrior puts down his sword and the three gems with him and kicked them aside.

"Armor too." The samurai said.

"What? I need this armor."

"I don't have an armor. It doesn't sound like a fair fight to me."

"Fine!" The knight removed his armor leaving him with his white shirt and 18th century pants. "Are you satisfied?"

The samurai replied. "I'm good." He removed the gauntlet and his sword and dropped it aside. Then he disrobed revealing his perfect physique.

The knight grunted. "Show-off."

"So. How do we do this? Submission or knock out?"

"Both."

"No killing?"

"You want to?"

"Just asking."

"No."

"Good." The samurai said. "I don't want to kill anyone today."

"I disagree." The young knight throws the first punch.

The samurai easily countered it and completely tackled the man to the ground.

The knight managed to break free and quickly gets up for another round. "That's just a warm up."

"I know."

* * *

Scaramouche had enough of the sisters' beating. He used everything he has at them. He killed them but they kept coming back. The android tried to process what's going on. "Are you clones? I heard they are making a clone army for Aku."

"No. We are not." Ashi said. "We are the Daughters of Aku. Well, we no longer serve him."

"Oh, the spoiled brats of Aku." Scaramouche said. "The rebel children of Aku. I dig it, babe." He winked at them.

Ami said. "We are not brats!"

Scaramouche responded. "Yes, you are. You cannot deny it, babe."

"Can we destroy him now, Ashi? He's getting on my nerves."

Then the android stopped them. "Wait! Calm down for a minute! I have been killing you for so many times now. Do you think it is kinda tiring that we do this all day?" He stretched his metal arms and flexed his mechanical fingers. "I mean, a little tin can like me needs a little rest, babe."

Ashi and Ami both were wondering the same thing. It was getting pointless over time. "Alright. We will stop unless you stop killing these people."

"Killing? They're already dead, baby."

Ami pointed at the town and people living there suddenly reappeared to be fine. No scars or wounds. No blood or bones scattered around the place."

The android was surprised to see them alive. "How is that possible?" He turned back at the two girls but what he saw next was Ashi's fist jabbed his face knocking his circuits out. The robot fell down like a knocked out boxer. Quickly, Ami tore off the robot's head and threw it away from his body. "Alright! He's not dead meaning he won't be able to get back up."

"It would be easy if that entity did not have a reset button."

Scaramouche rebooted himself and noticed he was decapitated. "Hey! Hey! Hey, babe! What did you do?" Then he saw the two girls threw his metal body away, far away. "Hey! Hey! Hey! That's rude, ya know! Yanked a guy's head and threw his body is just plain rude!"

Ami picked up the robot's head. "Don't make me remove your jaw."

"Fine! Whatever, babe. I'll shut up." Then he asked. "Why spare me though? Am I not too dangerous to be alive? You know I can get back to any body, baby. Ho ho ho! I'll be back with a new body!"

Ashi and Ami ignored the machine and put him inside a bag. "What are we going to do with him, Ashi?"

She said to her sister. "For now, we keep him away from the people. I don't know how long this entity will keep resetting Time here. As long as Jack finds a way and set us free, we will destroy him."

* * *

Horatius trembled in fear as he saw the dark entity single-handedly eliminated the entire council. Father Times, Gods of Time and Time Deities were no matched to the dark entity. He realized that Oblitus has the same level of the entity that guards the River of Time.

Their superior.

Their originator.

Their Core of Existence.

The original Horatius: Almighty Entity of Time and Guardian of the River of Time.

Horatius basically described Oblitus as the dark twin of their originator. A living shadow of time. He watched the dark entity eliminated the last of the Father Time and his ominous glowing eye turned to him.

"You're the last one." Oblitus stated the obvious. He approached him slowly across the bodies of countless entities. As he arrived just close to Horatius, he drew out his Celestial Blade and prepared to deliver the final blow to his final kill.

Horatius yelled. "Wait!"

Oblitus paused. "What is it? Last words?"

"No." Horatius said. "A deal."

The dark entity listened. "Let's hear it out."

* * *

The Samurai and the Knight were trying to finish each other off. But they were equally matched. The samurai tried to knocked him down. He even tried to break his arm but the knight resisted. His willingness to win pushed him to his limits and landed good hits on the samurai warrior.

"We must not continue." The samurai said. "If we do, it will just tire us."

"That's my plan here. Tire you until I gain the upper hand." The knight smirked. "Now come on! Show me what you got!"

Both men charged at each other and delivered their strongest punch. They took the hit and both went down to the ground. The samurai was dazed but the knight wasn't. He saw the red stone nearby. Immediately, he knew it was his chance to defeat him. The knight grabbed the stone and used it to blast the samurai away. He fired a bright red light to the samurai.

But the samurai survived.

"What is happening!" The knight yelled. "Why can't I kill him?" There he noticed that the gauntlet was near the samurai. When no one wields it, the golden glove automatically absorbed the energy of the stone. "This is frustrating!" He picked up his sword and attached the stone on the blade. "I'll blow this place up! Including you!"

The samurai tried to stop him but he hesitated. He knew it was too late. So he grabbed the gauntlet and used it as a barrier against the knight's red power.

As the knight impaled the soil of Japan, the sword released a surge of red energy straight to the ground reaching to the core of the earth. The knight was expecting a powerful explosion. But it did not happen. "Now what? Where's the destruction?"

It was just delayed.

Molten lava burst out from the ground and the knight's ground collapsed sending him to his doom. He screamed as he descent to the burning clay.

Samurai Jack was horrified to what the knight did. New volcanoes erupted at the island of Japan. His home. How is he going to fix it? Then he saw the two stones that was left behind by the knight. With his quick thinking, he used the gauntlet to summon the two.

The gems responded and it flew towards the samurai and attached to the gauntlet's compartments. "Alright. Now what?" He doesn't know how the two functions. He assume the purple gem can travel other places. The orange could be to go whenever in time. That's his observation. He remembered the entity told him about it. If he has the orange gem, he can change what the knight did and stop him.

He closed his eyes and whispered to the gem asking it to take him 10 minutes back to the past.

The gem answered and it did what he asked.

Jack was sent back to the past and saw the knight about the strike down the ground with the burning red stone. He saw his past self tried to stop the knight but then his past saw him and was confused at first.

Trying to save precious time, the samurai leaped towards the knight and stopped him from destroying Japan. "What in the world?" He turned and saw another samurai. "Who are you?"

"Your enemy ten minutes from now." The samurai threw a hard punch to the knight and knocked him down. The sword was dropped and his past self ran towards it and kicked it away from the incapacitated enemy. "Hello." He said.

The samurai talked to his past self. "Hello too."

"Well, this is awkward seeing you... my future self."

"Yeah. Very weird."

The knight was surprised to see two. He knew what his enemy did. "You used the eye."

The samurai examined the orange gem. "It's an eye?"

Without a sound, a thin black arm went through the chest of the Samurai's past self and snatched the stone from him. It was Oblitus. He answered to the mortals. "It's my twin's eye. The one I need." He pulled his arm out and threw the samurai aside.

"NO!" Jack ran to his past self, trying to stop the bleeding and trying to save him. If he dies, the samurai will cease to exist. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Oblitus looked at the beautiful orange gem. "I'm taking what I came for."

Then the knight got up and tried to take back his gem however the entity easily swat him away sending him flying far away. He was knocked out when he landed.

After witnessing the entity's strength, the samurai asked. "Why? I thought you wanted the six stones!"

"Actually, I only need one." The dark entity looked at the gem and its power flowing through him. "And it's this one. The Time Gem." Then he added. "Collecting all six is just another way to fool you. But Time is everything I wanted."

The samurai looked at the gauntlet. He has a chance to take that gem away from the dark entity.

Oblitus noticed the mortal was reaching for the golden gauntlet. "Don't bother." The entity extended his arm and took the item away from the mortal warrior. "Everything is just a big lie. I need the six stones to stop this knight or saving existence from total annihilation. All of it is a lie. Except one." He watched the samurai grunted as he slowly losing his strength. The entity's cosmic eye watched the mortal suffer the after effects. "It appear this is the end of the line for you, samurai."

And there goes he vile laughter, more sinister than Aku's. He was victorious and the samurai was blind for not seeing it coming

 _10..._

Samurai Jack felt his body aching.

 _9..._

His strength fading. This is like what happened to Ashi.

 _8..._

"No. This cannot end like this." He watched as his past self dying on his arms. He muttered his last words. "A..a... Ashi..."

 _7..._

The samurai died and the other will soon cease to exist.

 _6..._

In his last seconds in existence, the samurai faced the proud dark entity like he did to the demon Aku. "DAMN YOU!"

 _5..._

His katana released a powerful white light that removed Oblitus' essences.

 _4..._

The celestial sword was turned back into the almighty magic sword that Jack use.

 _3..._

The samurai warrior leaped towards the dark entity and delivered a killing blow.

 _2..._

His katana managed to hit the unsuspected dark entity who was just enjoying the sight of the gemstone. As he took a direct hit, Oblitus screamed in pain as the sword tore open his guts.

 _1..._

But it was not enough to kill the entity. He lives but has a big mark on him which will be an eternal reminder for him.

Never mess with the samurai again.

 _0_

Jack knew he failed and there's no possible way to destroy the entity entirely with those few seconds. Instead he smiled knowing he left a mark on that damn creature. The mortal warrior disappeared out from existence. The dark entity howled in pain and anger. "CURSE YOU, SAMURAI!" He looked down at the corpse of the past samurai lying dead.

Rage took over Oblitus as he slammed his dark fist to crush the samurai's corpse. In one almighty blow, the corpse turned to dust leaving nothing but the sword. The dark entity's rage died out as he saw the gem on his hand.

Victory is his.

He chuckled. "Time is Mine."

 **=X=**


	8. Reunion

**REUNION**

Ever wonder how being erased from existence feels like?

Jack felt his strength fading and his body went numb. Then the pain on his chest, his past self's pain. How he died started to come to him. The Samurai looked at the screaming entity after he cut its guts out. Strange glowing fluids came out from the entity's deep cut.

The mortal did not find time to check it. He just smiled as he disappeared from existence.

All he can see now was darkness.

Silence.

He cannot feel anything cold or hot. Just nothing.

Jack can hear himself breathing nervously. His heart beating fast. That's all he can hear in the great nothing.

But then... something came.

"My boy."

Someone said his name. It's his mother's voice.

"My son."

Another voice called him but this time, it's his father's.

"Jack."

"Ashi." The samurai instantly remember her.

Then she continued to say "Without Aku-"

"Stop." Jack said.

She continued. "-I would never-"

"I said Stop!" He tried to forget her last words.

"Jack."

"STOP!" The Samurai yelled at the top of his lungs but doing so, water rushed down to his throat. Jack choked as a sudden wave of water overwhelmed him. At first, he was nowhere and next thing he knows, he's at the sea. Jack swam to the surface to catch his breath.

His vision was blurry at first but he saw the seashore just meters away from him. The samurai went for land and as he reached it he lied down on the wet sands and catch his breath. His vision then came back and he looks around.

"Where am I?" Jack lied down again to rest and figure out where he was later.

* * *

As the two daughters of Aku venture through the forest seeking for a place to stay, Ashi felt a powerful presence that just entered the world. A familiar presence. Her sister Ami asked her. "Ashi! Are you alright? It's like you were struck by-"

"Samurai!" She said.

"Samurai? There are no samurais here." She looked around the forest and see nothing but bugs, lizards and other small creatures.

"He's here, Ami! Jack's here!" Ashi was certain it was Jack. She can feel his soul nearby. She found a trail to her beloved Samurai.

Ashi went into the deep forest following the trail until she found the samurai lying on the seashore peacefully. It is like he was sleeping there for an entire time. "Jack?"

With her soft voice, the samurai woke up. "Ashi?" He turned and saw her. "By heavens... you're here. You are here! Ashi!"

The two ran towards each other. They embraced each other and then they share a long passionate kiss. A lost lovers kiss. Ashi cried, "I knew you'd come."

Jack cannot say anything for now. He just enjoyed her warm embrace.

Then the robot head Scaramouche commented after hearing the reunion. "Aw... isn't that sweet?"

"Shut up!" Ami yelled.

Jack turned and saw Ashi's sister and the robot assassin Scaramouche. "You two."

Ashi quickly explained. "Don't worry, Jack! She's with me." She looked at the robot. "Except him. He's... our prisoner for now."

The samurai looked around and saw the place was peaceful just like the future he went. But it is not the future. It was Oblitus'. He's now part of the dark entity's future. "I'm sorry, Ashi. It appears we are trap here."

Ashi was saddened to hear her beloved failed. "It's alright. You're here with me. That's good, right?" She gave him her biggest smile. "We can find a way out together."

The samurai noticed she changed. "Being optimistic now?"

"Kinda." She chuckled.

Ami approached the samurai and bowed down asking for forgiveness. "I was just doing what I was told, Samurai. I'm sorry. I'm just- following orders."

The samurai understood and he forgave her. "It's okay. I won't hold any grudges." Then he asked. "So... what's your name?"

"Ami."

"I don't remember you..."

"You slit my throat with my sword."

"Right..." Then Jack remembered. "Sorry about that."

"Eh, it's fine. My anger to you has died out years ago."

"Years?" The samurai was surprised.

Ashi asked. "What's wrong?"

Jack said. "You've been gone for a week now, Ashi." He looked at her. She changed a little. "How many years are you in here?"

"Three."

After she gave him an answer, they heard a loud explosion from the sky. They looked up and saw the sun disappeared but changed into a bright cosmic light. The ground began to shake. Jack held Ashi tight and secure. Ami fell on the wet sand. "Ashi! What is going on?"

Jack looked up and saw the large beam of light heading towards them. "What is that?"

Ashi knew it was Oblitus' doing. "We're in his world now and we are his toys."

The two embraced together as the beam of light struck them from above. The great blast of light was spread and struck Ami as well. They felt the ripples of energy passing through them. Every molecule in their body vibrate, splitting them from the plane of reality.

As the beam of light fades away, the three mortals disappeared as well.

* * *

The knight Jack woke up after he took a hard swing from the dark entity. He looked up and noticed the full moon. He has been knocked out for an entire day. His head still hurts. "What was that thing?"

Then he saw two of the gems lying on the ground.

Without any hesitation, the knight took it and placed it somewhere safe. However, there's one gem missing. The orange one. "Where is it?" Then he saw trails of strange fluid spread on the ground.

It's still wet.

It's glowing.

It's alive.

Jack kept his hands away from it. "Where is that damn game?" Then he found something more valuable.

The golden gauntlet.

The knight looked around and wondered where the samurai went or what happened to him. "I'll be taking that." He puts it on and placed the two gems on it. He

"There's no need of it." Horatius appeared from the shadows.

Jack noticed something changed. "What do you mean? After what I did for you... you then start to change your plans?"

Horatius explained. "I made a deal with the dark entity."

"Dark entity? The one that easily hit me with one swing? That creature? What kind of deal?"

"Let me explain."

Jack did not give him the time to explain. "What happened to the plans for that Eternal Inferno? That so-called power that need to save my beloved queen breaking her out from her frozen prison. What happened to that?"

"We have now the full control of Time." Horatius said. "Time is on our side now. We can change the past."

"Time cannot help her. Not when an entity still lives inside her!" The knight yelled. "I killed gods just to get this power! This Eternal Inferno! How can I save my queen when that creature doesn't get affected by the changes of Time?"

Horatius understood the situation and the knight need some explanation. "Are you talking about the shadow man inside her?"

"Yes. The Man of Death."

"I know." Horatius said. "This shadow man works with the dark entity Oblitus."

The knight was shocked to know the connection. "Is that the dark entity that you made deal with?"

"Yes. But don't worry. He has the full control of Time now. He can change it. He can command the Man of Death to leave your beloved queen alone and you can have her safe and sound."

With that fact, Jack could not bear the deed he did. "I killed gods."

"Gods who doesn't care about mortals."

The knight remembered the gods and goddess who did not fight back but plead for mercy. "I killed them all."

"Not all of them." Horatius said. "That is why I still need you. Use the remaining gems to kill all of the gods. They might interrupt with Oblitus' plans."

"No."

The cloaked man felt a sudden change of heart inside the mortal. He prepared his scythe on his back. "What do you mean by that?"

The knight answered. "I cannot walk this path anymore. I have spilled blood on my hands that I cannot- I don't want to do this anymore."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going home." The knight used the purple gem and opened a portal back to his home.

"I can't let you leave." Horatius said.

"Why not?"

"I still need them." The cloaked man pointed at the gems.

The knight looked down and saw the blade of the scythe behind the cloaked man. Now he knows who his enemy is. "You are working with the dark entity now. Then you are now my enemy."

"Don't make me do it, mortal." Horatius warned him.

Jack did not hesitate. He leaped towards the portal and ditched the cloaked man behind.

Horatius was not fast enough to stop him. He spent most of his energy fighting Oblitus. "Damn it all." He said.

* * *

At the great Void, just above of the River of Time, there was the Great Guardian of Time. Its radiant body and illuminating halo lights up the great void. Its powerful eye looked down at the cosmic river and watch the events that happened and going to happen. Then his dark twin Oblitus approached him from behind.

"Hello, brother." The dark entity said.

The illuminating entity turned around to face his twin. "Hello, brother. What brings you here?"

Oblitus showed him the Time Gem, his second eye. "I have this."

The light entity asked, "What are you going to do with it?"

The dark entity chuckled. "I'm taking over now." His mighty hand crushed the second eye and released a powerful orange light that spread across the great Void and caused dangerous ripples on the River of Time. "TIME IS MINE!" Those orange energies went to the Guardian of Time and chained him up far away from the cosmic river. "Now you stay there while I do some changes."

As he was incapacitated, the Guardian of Time noticed his dark twin has a tear on his gut and he caught glimpse of a mortal warrior inside. "A samurai."

Oblitus heard him. "Did you say something?"

"One of my favorite characters in Time. The samurai warrior who vowed to vanquish the great evil. He's inside of you."

"You know what that means, brother?" The dark entity laughed. "He's part of me now."

"No." The guardian said. "He's still part of the River." He raised his hand and formed a great light spear and with his strength, he threw it towards Oblitus' scar. It was a direct hit. The spear pierced through the dark entity and it flew towards the River of Time.

Oblitus felt the cosmic pain. He looked at his gut and found a large hole on it. "What did you do?"

"I just simply return them where them should be." The hopeful entity did not show sign of defeat to his dark twin but his own excitement. "I can't wait to see what this mortal will do next."

It was not Oblitus who struck the samurai.

It was the Guardian of Time, giving him a second chance to fight back.

 **=X=**


	9. The Samurai and the Assassin

**The Samurai and the Assassin**

Jack and Ashi felt the light took them somewhere else. Same thing happened to Ami and Scaramouche. It did took them somewhere but it was home. The four appeared to the place where Jack joined Oblitus in his deceiving quest.

The people from that town all ran as they thought the sun have decided to smite them.

Jack opened his eyes and recognized the town. "I've been here before."

Ashi opened hers and saw the terrified civilians. "Really? Where are we anyway?"

"This is the place I first meet Oblitus and offered me this quest of his. But in the end, it was all a lie."

Scaramouche commented. "This is your time, right? It looks lame, babe."

Ami took the robot's jaw off to shut him up.

The former assassin looked around and see a lot of innocent people, scared and worried. "We need to get out of town. I'm pretty sure the dark entity will attack any time."

"Agreed." The samurai said. "The monster has the gem of time. He can be anywhere or any time."

They immediately left the town and head to the nearest forest. Ashi asked. "So, what's the plan? How are we going to defeat this creature?"

Ami wanted to let them know. "This entity can manipulate time, you know. He can revive the dead. Even dead gods."

"I know that." Jack said. "Let me think."

Before he could think of a plan, someone approached them with an idea. "We can use these." It was the knight that the samurai fought. He has returned and he has the two gems and the gauntlet.

"YOU!" Jack drew out his katana. "You have come to stop us!"

Ami and Ashi prepared their weapons against the knight.

"Wait! Let me explain!"

The two assassins attacked him and gave him fatal blows. However, their attacks were not effective when the knight possessed the red gem. The two women retreated but the samurai stopped them. "Explain? What are you going to explain? Asking forgiveness for the immortal lives that you took? Killing gods for the sake of power?"

"I know my crimes, samurai. I just found out the one who led me to this path has joined the enemy. The enemy who caused suffering to my beloved kingdom and to my beloved queen."

Ashi whispered to Jack. "He's like you."

Jack replied, "No. I would never do that."

"Really? You took this dark entity's quest to save me. Is that right?"

"Why are you whispering?" Ami asked. "It's not the right time to whisper."

The knight watched the three whispering, guessing they'll forgive him. "If you want the gems, I can give it to you. You can use it to fight the entity."

The samurai denied his offer. "We don't need the gems. We already have a weapon to harm him." He wield his magic katana, the mystical sword that destroyed the evil entity Aku. "I can use this to destroy this creature's illuminating eye."

The knight was not sure about the samurai's plan. "Sure. If you can jump high enough to get to his eye... I mean, he's height is changing. We're not even sure what his actual size be."

"We?" Ashi pulled out a dagger and placed it on the knight's unprotected neck. "You tried to kill Jack."

"Yes. I made a mistake. But he's not dead. Well, technically, I didn't kill him."

Jack stopped her. "Ashi, put down your weapon. We'll give him this chance to redeem himself."

The knight was glad to hear his decision. "Thank you, most forgiving warrior."

"Just one chance." The samurai wanted to make it clear. "If you betray us or me, I will not hesitate."

"Got it."

"Alright. Time for some introduction." The samurai said. "I'm Jack. This is Ashi and her sister Ami." Then Scaramouche wanted to say something but his voice was blocked. "And that one is a tin can."

"Jack?" The knight didn't realized it at first. "Your name is Jack? My name is Jack, too."

Ashi was surprised by that fact. "Oh boy..."

Then the samurai clarified. "Actually, Jack is not my real name. I just kept my real name a secret when I was at the future."

Now everyone had no idea Jack was not his real name.

"That sucks." The knight said.

"What's your real name then?" Ashi glared. "You didn't tell me before our wedding."

The samurai chuckled nervously and scratched his head. "Well, you didn't ask."

* * *

Oblitus scanned the River of Time, looking for the samurai and his companions. His twin did something to it. "Where are you? What did you do?"

The Guardian of Time snickered. "If you want to see them, go into the river and find them yourself."

"Fine!" Oblitus summoned his Shadow people from the Great Void. Thousands of Shadow people answered their master's call. One of them wore a hood and a blue mask.

"Kill the samurai and everyone who protects him!" The dark entity gave his command and the shadow people executes it. With the Guardian of Time in chains, the river was unprotected. The shadow people freely jumped into the River of Time to find the mortal warrior.

* * *

The shadow people's presence in the River of Time changed the atmosphere of the universe. Ashi and Ami can feel it. The two Jacks noticed it too.

"Are you alright, Ashi?" The samurai asked.

"Are you maidens alright?" The knight asked.

"Are you going to free me?" Scaramouche asked them.

Ami answered to the robot. "Sure. But you don't have the body."

The machine laughed. "Ha! You thought I need my body? Baby, you have no idea what this head can do."

Suddenly, from the bright sky, they saw a large thick of darkness fell to the forest just a mile away from them. "They're here." The knight prepared his armor and sword embed with the red gem's power.

The samurai raised his katana and formed a battle stance.

Ashi and Ami did theirs as well. With their demon powers, they summoned their own weapons using the black demon fluid on their bodies. Ashi got two daggers and Ami got a katana.

Scaramouche asked his captors. "Hey, can you let me go? I can help!"

"No. You better stay put." Ami stated.

Across from the next forest, from the edge of the wide grass field, the shadow people made their appearance and saw the four people standing still ready to face them. Their smoking shadow form killed the grass as they step on it. They bring death and decay all around them. And they will use it against the four.

The samurai wanted to check first. "Alright. It appears their touch can kill you. Be mindful."

Ashi said. "My sister and I are alright with it. We are part demon anyway."

The knight added. "I have armor with infinite power. It protects me from any decaying magic."

"Okay then. That's means I'm the only who should be watching out." The samurai realized.

Before they attack the enemy head on, Ashi asked. "Before we fight them, I want to know something."

"What is it?"

"What's your real name?"

"Stay alive and I'll tell you."

Ashi smirked. "That's a deal."

The shadow people conjured their own weapon in different shape and sizes. They even changed their form into big creatures or adding multiple arms. The four mortals began to run towards the legion of shadow men with their rage and battle cry. Ashi and Ami yelled as they ran. The samurai doesn't remember she can scream like that. But the knight was impressed knowing these girls show ferocity and determination in battle.

"I hope they'll be okay after this." The knight said.

"Just watch and you'll see." The samurai replied.

The sisters ran faster than the two men and first to able to attack the dark legion.

* * *

As Oblitus watched the four mortals fought his shadow people, he heard his twin chuckled. "You think these four can do any good? You think they can stop me? I have the Eye. I have the complete control of Time."

The prime entity of Time Horatius answered to his dark twin. "You don't have the complete control of Time. You can't stop the river. It will keep on flowing and it will all lead to one end."

"Then I'll put a dam on it."

But then a bright red light emerged from the great Void. Oblitus turned around and saw the great Entity of Power standing before him. His presence meant something and its big. Oblitus cannot believe it. "No. Why are you here, Pyralis?"

Horatius said. "Because there's a new hero in this story. He came to watch it."

"No. NO!" Oblitus cannot believe it. "The samurai gets to be the unstoppable hero in the story?"

Pyralis disagreed, indicating its not the samurai. It's someone else.

Both entities were confused by Pyralis' action. But Horatius liked surprises.

 **=X=**


	10. The Entity's Judgement

**The Entity's Judgement**

The three cosmic entities watched the mortals' battle against the legion of shadow people through the illuminating River of Time. Horatius, the Prime Entity of Time, enjoyed every second of it. It is like an old story he read for so long that he get to see it happen now. Prophecies are like great old stories and when it came true, it bring him joy.

Oblitus, the evil twin of Horatius and entity of erased timelines, was not happy about it. His plan to rule Time was pointless now. He thought that maybe if he get his twin's eye, his body composed of forgotten timelines will merge with the mainstream and co-exist. He just wanted to be part of its grand flow. However, he was wrong about it. He hated to admit that he lost.

The dark entity looked at the red entity and wished he would never execute him for his law breaking. He cannot tell the red entity's expression or look at that moment with that large helmet on. It's completely covered the red entity's head leaving only six openings for its vision. In his entire existence, Oblitus has never wondered what red god looked like.

Pyralis, the great cosmic entity of Power and the only Prime Judge of the Multiverse, watched the samurai's battle. But that's not the mortal he wanted to see. He came for someone else.

While the three entities were watching, Oblitus started to ask the red entity. "So... how's your hobby, Pyralis? Still reigniting some suns?"

The red entity was silent and Horatius gave his twin an answer. "You know he does not speak any language, right? His action is his language."

"I know that! I just want to know why he came here?"

"Then we will just wait and see, brother."

* * *

Sir Jack swung his mighty sword to the horde of darkness, cutting them down easily. Ashi and her sister Ami decapitated these dark creatures as quick as possible. The samurai had some trouble keeping up. His other companions have infinite endurance and power and he has none. He has limited endurance and human strength.

"Can you guys slow down?" He asked them.

The knight ridiculed him. "Okay. Can you ask these dark demons to slow down as well and attack us one by one?"

His beloved responded jokingly. "50 years trapped in the future has started to come back at you, huh?"

The samurai grinned. "Yeah. Well, tell that to the person who screamed the loudest in my chambers?"

Ashi turned red when he mentioned about it.

Ami saw her sister blush and asked her. "What's wrong, sister?"

"It's nothing. The samurai just taunts me."

Still hanging on the belt of Ami, the android Scaramouche understood what the samurai said and laughed. "Ha! I never thought you got that in you, Jackie Boy."

As the four were fighting off the shadow people, one individual dark entity enlarged itself and slammed the ground separating them from each other. The samurai went after Ashi while Ami fell to the knight's side. The dark entity divided the ground and let the other hordes fight them into two groups. The knight knew it will not end well. "We need a plan to stop them from coming!"

Ami suggested. "We need to close their entry into this world! We must find it fast! Close it!"

On the other side, the samurai protected Ashi from the charging legion of darkness. However the dark daughter of evil doesn't like to be saved. "Jack... you have to let me do this. I can take care of myself."

"Just making sure you get out alive this time."

"You worry too much." Ashi simply set him aside. "Just stay back and watch me burn these creatures." The former assassin transformed into her corrupted form with her tall physique and flaming pale eyes. "Time to reap! KILL!" She leaped towards the horde with ferocity.

Ami witnessed her sister's transformation and she was amazed by her evolution. "Wow. I never thought she can do that."

Scaramouche detected an incoming shadow heading towards her. "Hey! Hey! Incoming!"

Suddenly, the knight came in and got her back. "Ami! Stay focus! There are more enemies coming!"

The android yelled at them. "Let me help you! Come on!"

The dark daughter had enough of him. "Alright! Show me what a head can do!"

Scaramouche grinned. "Oh, you'll see." As she released him from the bag, the android looked at the horde of shadow folk with their sharpened black blades and hardened hammers. "All I need is my voice." The android started to whistle and the pebbles on the ground levitated. With his manipulation of sound, Scaramouche sharpened the pebbles and then threw all of them towards the shadow people completely killing them all.

The knight and the former assassin was surprised by the android's abilities. They witnessed the quick obliteration of the shadow group, cleaning all the darkness on their side. The android just used thousand of sharpened pebbles. After that shocking ten second moment, the knight made a request. He pointed at the 30-feet dark entity. "Now do that to the big guy."

The android gave them some bad news. "Sorry to say this, I do need my body to increase my sound manipulation. With my pretty body, I can lift that big muthafucka to the sky, baby."

"You need power?" The knight removed the red gem from his sword. "Take this."

"Is it wise to give him that?" Ami asked. "Can we trust him?"

Scaramouche marked his words. "You can trust me, baby. I would never lie or betray you. Especially you..." He gave Ami a wink.

The girl cringed and tried to forget what he did. "Alright then. Give him the gemstone."

"Okay! How do we do this? Do you place it on my forehead or-?" Unexpectedly, the knight shoved the gem into the android's mouth.

"It's in! Now shout!"

The android felt the power flowing through his circuits. If he holds that power long, he might explode. Scaramouche looked up and faced the large dark entity and released the loudest words he can say.

" _ **OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**_ _ **HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBBBBBYYYYYYYYYYY!**_ "

His voice reached to the feet of the dark giant and lifted the monster up into the air 20 feet above ground. Then he threw the giant to the other side and destroyed half of the samurai's opponents instantly. Ami was surprised by the power of the android. "Who ever built you must be a great a guy."

The android bragged about his abilities. "Yeah, baby. My voice tech came from Vikar Co. Or is it Wishar Corp? Eh, I just can't remember the exact name of the corporation. I just remember a _Vish_ and a _Kar_."

"More incoming!" The knight pointed at the sky with a large portal to the great Void.

The samurai looked up and saw the large tear between time and space. Plus, he got a very slight glimpse of Oblitus. "He's up there watching us! We need to get there."

Ashi wondered. "How? You want me to throw you up there? How do you even know if there's oxygen in that dimension?"

"I'll hold my breath."

Then Ami and Scaramouche came in to help. The android said with a grin, "Need a lift?"

The samurai was wondering. "Can you?"

Without any hesitation, the android began to sing the jazziest melody he can make. The sound waves that he manipulated created a platform for both Ashi and the samurai. He pushed the two towards the portal in the sky.

Ami commented. "This is probably the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life."

In return, Scaramouche replied. "You have no idea what else I can do when I have my full body back, baby."

* * *

The two mortals entered the Great Void where the three entities reside. Ashi and the samurai saw a familiar figure: Oblitus the Entity of the Erased. It sounds perfect for that dark god. Then there they saw Horatius the Living Entity of Time chained up by his second eye.

Samurai turned his head to look at the red entity burning like the crimson sun. The entity Pyralis was just standing in the void calm and observing. He carried a long staff that radiates solar energies. The samurai first guess was that the entity is a sun god.

Oblitus exclaimed as his large eye began to turn into a morning sun. "YOU CANNOT BE HERE!"

Ashi and the samurai prepared themselves for the worst. With her demonic powers and his enchanted sword, they know they can vanquish the dark entity. However, the time entity kindly pleaded. "Will you spare my brother's existence? He's a little insecure."

Both mortals were surprised by the entity's words. "You want us to... forgive him?"

Oblitus was confused by his twin's action. "What are you blabbering about?"

Then the samurai yelled at the dark entity. "You betrayed me! Killed me! And even threaten to destroy my reality sending your army of shadow men!"

The burning entity Pyralis turned to the one eyed god. Its helmet started to create eerie sounds as the cosmic energy inside builds up. Oblitus can tell what's his next action.

Horatius tried to defend his twin. "He wanted to be remembered. He wanted to be part of a big cosmos. That's all." He turned to Pyralis. "Forgive my brother for his actions. Show mercy."

The two mortals were waiting for a good time to strike but they cannot do anything for awhile because of the discussion between those great almighty entities. The samurai whispered to Ashi "Are we going to do something?"

"Why are you asking me? This is my first time encountering these creatures."

Oblitus and Horatius waited for Pyralis' judgement.

The burning entity raised his right hand and gesture his answer. It was a thumbs down.

The two time entities were stunned by his answer and the entire Great Void was illuminated by crimson light. The light released a powerful shockwave that pushed Ashi and the samurai back to Earth. The portal vanished when the red energy struck it. Ami and Scaramouche saw the two falling back. Immediately, the android head used its powerful but safe sonic wave to slow their descent.

They landed safely and took their time to recall what happened.

The knight noticed something wrong with the Shadow people. They stopped attacking them. "Guys, what did you do?"

"Yeah. What happened up there, sister? Did you strike that monster down quickly?"

"No." Ashi said. "We don't what just happened."

As they were looking at the sky wondering what happened back there, the shadow people began to speak with a low tone. They spoke to them. "Home... home... home..." But then the beam of red light came out from the sky and struck the world. A silhouette of a man appeared and fell down to his knees.

The samurai felt the cold atmosphere surrounding that man.

When the dust settles, the figure stood up and faced the mortals. "Well, this is my judgement." Oblitus has given a mortal form. A human body, human face and a human eye. The other was just an empty socket.

Ashi began to question. "If you are turned into a mortal, what happened to the erased timelines? My sisters?" She a little worried about the other people from those erased timelines that includes the old man Jack.

Oblitus answered the girl. "I don't know and I don't care." He still feel his power flowing inside him. With it, he fashioned himself with a dark cloak just like the other versions of Father Time. "But that doesn't mean I'm done with you." On his palm is the orange gemstone. He has no idea why Pyralis gave him the stone or the red entity's plan. Oblitus needed some of his time to think about his next plan and with the gem on his hand, he used it for his escape.

The shadow people flew towards him, wanting to be with him. Their wails are like tormented lost souls wanting to go home. They disappeared along with Oblitus.

The samurai has a new enemy. A new 'Aku' to deal with. Ashi held his hand and assured to him. "We will find him. We will stop him."

The four mortals and the android began to see the sun sets to the horizon as the night welcome them to its cold embrace. The knight Jack asked, "Okay. Now that's over... and I know that thing will come back eventually... what are we going to do now? How about the stones? Are we going to keep them?"

The samurai has an idea. "Give the gems to the sisters. They will keep it safe for now."

Ashi took the purple gem while Ami kept the red gem inside Scaramouche. Ashi wondered, "Can you trust that thing, sister?"

"Don't worry. He will be a good object for me."

The android was flattered. "Oh my... what are you going to do to me, baby?"

Ami just puts him on a sack. "So... where are you guys going?"

The samurai and Ashi looked at each other and knows where to go. "Home."

 **=X=**


	11. A New Threat

**A New Threat**

Ashi felt the cool water on her feet. She opened her eyes and saw the clear waters of the River of Time, streaming towards the big bright light. Reflections and images of her journeys with her beloved samurai appeared on the river. Her childhood. Her time with him. Even her future with him. They were all there.

But then she heard a voice speaking, "You are an anomaly."

She turned around and saw the floating god of time. His almighty planet-size eye hovering above his celestial body gave her cold feet. His appearance alone gave her a strange vibe... a sense of danger. "What do you mean?"

"You don't exist."

"But I'm here." Ashi clarified. She looked at her black hands dripping of Aku's essence. "What is this?"

"It is who you are."

"No! I'm not like him!" She screamed as the black goo on her body polluted the River of Time. Th terror of her demon father was spread across history. "No! Make it stop!"

"You are what you are." The time entity said.

"NO! I'm not Aku! I'm not AKU!" Ashi yelled at the top of her lungs. She sat up and saw the dim candlelight of her chamber. She look around and saw wide window open. Ashi got up with her nightgown and closed it.

"Are you alright, Ashi?" The samurai sat up and looked at her worried. "Nightmares?"

"Yes." Ashi said. "I've been having these nightmares for two weeks now. I can't stay here."

"Why? Where do you want to go?"

"I need to do something. Fix some things."

The samurai approached her and gave her a warm embrace. "Tell me what you want. I can do anything."

Ashi wanted to tell him everything. "I need to exist."

"Exist? But you are here."

"Yes. But I'm not part of this timeline. I'm... I'm an outsider."

"But you are not to me." The noble samurai gave her a kiss. "You are more than that."

"What am I? I'm not... just someone who popped out from nowhere in history." Ashi said. "I need to have a history in this timeline. My birth. My childhood. My journey. Our first encounter... in this timeline."

"Does it matter?"

Ashi just answered. "I don't know. I'm not really sure."

* * *

The knight Jack traveled back to his kingdom at the North. The captain of the ship told him about the ruined place and said it to be haunted by the dead who were killed in the Great War. Jack knew what happened and ignored the captain's words.

He disembark alone and the ship left as soon as possible. Jack watched them cowering back to the sea.

"Well... I'm home, my queen." He looked down at the sea, knowing where his queen's frozen prison sunk. "I don't know if there's another way to save you."

"Actually, this is." Someone answered.

It alerted the knight, drawing his sword out. "Who's there?" Jack encountered a headless man, holding his unusual head. He instantly recognized the man. "Another shadow man. Oblitus sent you?"

"No." The headless man spoke. "I came for my brother."

Jack knew he's bad news. The knight stood his ground and ready to face the dark creature. "I won't allow that."

The shadow man answered. "The Infinite Winters will be ours." His disembodied head grinned and let out a loud scream that echoed across the land. The ruined kingdom trembled by its voice and mountains shook a little.

Jack felt the atmosphere changed. The surroundings slowly turned dark. The sea... turned to ice. "Oh no. It can't be."

The frozen lake burst out a bright blue light and out from the frozen prison, his beloved queen resurfaced. Her eyes black like the starless night and smoke emitting out from her mouth like her breathe. Her hair turned raven black. She looked at the knight and remembered his face.

She smirked creepily. "Nice to see you again."

The headless man spoke to Jack. "There you go. She's saved."

The knight cannot do anything now. He lost hope as the horrors of the shadow people started to consume the land. He failed... again.

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere in Japan, a bright yellow door appeared out from nowhere. A cloaked man came out carrying an almighty object. He panted as he has been through hell. He started to mutter "Death comes. Death arrives. They are here. World burns. World disappears. Everything ends. Ends with them."

The door behind him started to make eerie noises. The creature that pursued him was coming.

He quickly shut it before that creature reached the door. Once closed, the door disappeared. "Everything ends. Ends with them... the **T** **roika**." The man looked at the object and said, "Dilek, I make my last wish."

The object was a golden cube radiating yellow light. When it heard his voice, it spoke to him. "What is your wish?"

The cloaked man teared up, knowing his wishes cannot stop the darkness but only slow them down.

"I wish-"

 **To be continued in the big crossover story -** **NU: River of Time**

 **Note:** The stories of Ashi and the Samurai will continue here but their interactions with the others will be at the crossover.


	12. Stranger

**Stranger**

The cloaked man ventured towards the Imperial Palace with the golden cube on his hand.

He watched at the sight and knew he had reached his destination. With a wish that he had, he'll be safe from the forces that would stop him. However, the wish's power has a limit. It does not affect the Trioka. The cloaked man enters the crowd as the people of the kingdom started to celebrate their beloved princess' birthday.

"I don't remember my own birthday." Ashi said to her husband.

The noble prince smiled, "Then I make one for you."

"Thanks, Jack." She said. "But why today?"

"Because today is my great grandfather's birthday. He helped protect the people from forces of darkness before Aku, you know. I think it is the best day for your birthday."

But then one of the handmaidens came carrying a letter. She brought it forth to Ashi. "A message... from your sister."

The prince must've told Ami about it. Ashi quickly opened the letter and received her very first birthday greeting card. "Happy Birthday to you, sis! I'm happy that we got a birthday."

That one sentence struck the prince, "Uh... were you guys born at the same day?"

Ashi nodded.

"Whoa. Never imagined someone actually gave birth to seven children."

The princess was so proud that she received a gift from her sister. That was her first time. "Who else know about this?"

"Everyone."

"Including your father?"

"Yes." The samurai said. "But he doesn't say much about it. He's not the same man when mother left."

"I'm sorry." Ashi remembered it happened last month. "Alright. Let's talk about something else. There has to be a feast, of course."

"Done."

"Parades?"

"Eh, still working on it."

"Plays for the kids?"

The prince knew what's in her mind. "Done. Everything you think of... I already prepared it."

Ashi gave him a kiss so pure. "I love you."

"I love you." He replied.

"Ehem..." Someone interrupted the two. An Imperial guard approached the two with a large scroll on his hand. "I'm sorry to ruin your moment, my lord. But you have to see this."

"Ashi, will you excuse me for a moment?" The prince asked.

"Sure." Ashi leaves and went to the gardens to have a fresh air. She turned and watched her husband talked to the guard and opened up a scroll that revealed something surprising even for the prince. "He's trying to keep me out of it. I wonder." But then six of her handmaidens approached her from behind and started their daily task: accompany the princess at all times.

Meanwhile, the cloaked man reached the palace walls and looked up to see how high it is. First thing he did, he hid the cube under his cloak and started to climb the walls in his own way. His dark cloak changed and turned into a murder of crows. They flew up to the top of the wall and formed back into one. Two Imperial guards saw him and cried, "Intruder!"

However, the stranger opened his eyes and showed them his red glare which quickly paralyzes them. The cloaked man has no time to hide the bodies. He has to reach his destination soon.

The prince read the scroll that was sent by a great seer. It was stated that a turn of events will come to the day of his great grandfather's birth. They will face a powerful enemy. "Where's Ashi?" That's what his first thoughts when he read the bad news.

The princess strolled across the garden, appreciating the green. Then she saw a ladybug crawling down a leaf. She went to take a closer look. "Well, well... how are you, little one?"

But then they heard the sound of imperial horns and the guards yelled, "Intruder!"

Ashi looked up and saw the cloaked man right in front of her. The stranger looked at the young woman and glared with his red bloody eyes. "Who are you?"

Quickly, her handmaidens undressed, removing their kimonos and drew out their weapons to protect the princess. They attacked the stranger two at a time. The man appears to be armed as he pulled out a kunai and blocked their lethal attacks. Ashi wanted to join in but one of her handmaidens grabbed her, taking her to safety. As the handmaidens continued their assault, the stranger just simply defends himself. He just blocks their attacks and evade the next.

All he wants to do was to have time with Ashi.

The prince came in with his imperial guards just in time to see the stranger getting ganged up by those quick female assassins. "Ashi?" He called her name.

The princess answered. "Over here!"

The stranger looked at the two about to reunite. He made some quick movement of his hands and then let out a large fireball from his mouth. The fire separated the two and the stranger quickly took down the handmaidens. He dashed towards the princess and grabbed her. She struggled but she froze when she saw his blood red eyes.

"ASHI!" The prince watched in horror as she was taken away by the cloaked man.

The stranger climbed up to the imperial walls and leaves the gardens. Her handmaidens quickly gets back up to go after their princess.

As the cloaked man took the princess away, he took her to the tallest tower of the palace and removed the trance that he placed on her. Ashi took a look around and saw the stranger holding her.

Swiftly, she pulled out a dagger and swung it to his neck.

Unfortunately, he disarmed her and speak. "Calm down. I just want to speak with you."

"Who? Who are you?"

"My name is not important but take this." He gave her the golden cube radiating on his palm. "I don't know why. But _she_ chose you."

"She?" Ashi then felt the cube reacting as she touched it.

"Keep it safe." He lets go of the cube and moved a step back.

So many questions in her mind, the only one she asked. "Where are you going?"

The stranger said, "I'll try to slow them down. Leave and find the rest... before it's too late." The cloaked man slowly dispersed into a murder of crows, leaving the palace.

Ashi was left confused as she held the illuminating cube on her hand.

Her husband climbed up and saw her alive and well. "Ashi? Are you alright?"

"Yeah." She answered. "I think we have another big problem." She showed him the cube. "Jack, do you know where my sister is right now?"

* * *

Elsewhere in the forest of Japan, a doorway opened from thin air and it slowly opened from behind. But a great force struck the door opened like a kick.

Three people emerged with their presence brings chill to the surroundings.

One held a sword, the other a spear and the last a revolver.

The Trioka is here.

"Is this the place?" The swordsman said.

"Affirmative. This is where he went." The spearman confirmed their location. "Dilek is here. She has chosen a new protector."

"Great. Another world to annihilate."

But the gunslinger interrupted them as he checked the ground. "We're close."

Both was surprised. "Seriously?"

"No. Something we need is getting close." The gunslinger looked forth and saw two strangers took a turn and encountered them. The three men looked at the couple.

The couple paused and check on the three.

The tall man in his purple coat commented, "Hey, baby... check out these guys. They're dressed for the occasion."

"Shut up, Scaramouche." Ami said. "Don't call me that."

"Uh, I see. You like me to say it alone."

The swordsman asked the gunslinger. "Who are they?"

In which, he replied. "She has the Heart of Pyralis." The three men spoke no words after that and their eyes focus on to the girl.

Scaramouche and Ami looked back at the three as they felt an ominous feeling. She pulled out her katana quickly as the three swiftly leaped towards them.

 **=X=**


	13. Journey Begins

**Journey Begins**

It has been almost an hour and Ami started to feel exhausted. Scaramouche even needs to save his energy. The two knew the three won't tire down. The best way to do next is to retreat.

And that's what they did.

Ami and Scaramouche left the battlefield and into the woods.

The three dark men watched them flee and they find it funny. The gunslinger commented, "She's not using the gem Does she know what it can do?"

The swordsman suspected something. "She doesn't have it. The other one does."

"Hey!" The gunslinger noticed the spearman disappeared. "Where did he go?"

While the two were yapping, the spearman was a man of action. He doesn't talk until it is over. And his retrieval of the gem is not yet over. He pursued the two through the forest and conquered every obstacle that on his way. His spear cut down trees and rock like paper and clay, making his path easy for him.

Ami and Scaramouche did everything they could to avoid him. But with his spear, they have no place to hide. They just run.

"I'll distract them." The android said.

"No." Ami said. "I cannot leave you here."

His titanium chest suddenly opened and released the red gem from his heart. He gave it to her and said, "Go to you sister, Ami. Promise me you'll go-"

"NO!" She cried. "I can't just- I can't..."

Scaramouche smiled, "Alright. Just go right ahead. I'll catch up."

Ami knew he was lying. "I will not leave you."

"Then we die together and your sister will never know what's coming for her. Is that what you want?"

She took a moment to think about it and learned he was right. "I can't lose you." They have been together for almost a year but she lost track of it that it felt like forever for her. The android wiped out her tears and told her to save it for later. No more words can translate what she's feeling right now but she did what her heart told her to do.

Ami embraced him and gave him a kiss. She felt his cold metal lips and his warm breathe that makes him alive. Unfortunate, he could not feel her lips. He only feels what he could see and what he see was her affection to him. After that, she bid goodbye and ran to her sister.

Scaramouche was left speechless but happy to know that he did something good.

The spearman managed to catch up and saw the android hiding. "You think you can hide from me."

"Well, babe... I'm just nervous. Sometimes I get a stage fright."

"Stage fright?"

"Yeah." Scaramouche pulled out his flute. "One last performance."

* * *

The cube sits on the vault under the palace. Its power is still unknown to them. The prince called for experts to analyze the object. Meanwhile, Ashi has a lot of questions in mind. She lied on her bed and can't stop thinking about what the cloaked man said.

It is like a warning. Or a command.

She wondered. And wondered.

Until she remembered what he specifically said, _She chose you._ Who is he talking about?

 _The cube?_

 _The cube chose me?_

Ashi sat up and remembered his words. "I'll have to leave." If she stays, she will just endanger the people in the palace. Whoever comes looking for the cube will bring death and destruction to the people around her especially to her husband. Ashi doesn't want that to happen.

As she made her decision, she removed her garment and put on her usual dark suit just like before. She has to find a way to get to the vault. She called her six handmaidens and told them what she will do. They were handpicked and trained by Ashi to be her servants and subordinates no matter what the situation is. They're always loyal to her.

Once she told them the plan, they execute it perfectly.

They took down the guards of the palace vault and Ashi simply opened it and took the cube. She and her handmaidens flee from the scene with no blood spilled until she reached the corner of the hall and was discovered by the prince and his guards. "Ashi?"

"Shit..."

Quickly, she threw a smoke bomb and disappeared along with the handmaidens.

Upon seeing her in the dark garment, he knew she did something. "Oh, no... you didn't-" He alerted the guards about what she did. He told them to stop her but don't harm her.

It would be difficult for the men when they're good at taking down enemies quickly. An arrow to the head was easy but stopping someone without harming them is a bit of a challenge. If they ever harm the princess that disobeyed the prince's command, they would be marked as a traitor. The only option was to tackle them down and knock out the princess.

The imperial guards dropped their bows and faced the princess and her handmaidens in a hand-to-hand combat.

Ashi was blocked by ten men who prepared to fight them. She easily took them down and her handmaidens helped her. Some of her servants were taken down and dragged away. Ashi looked up and saw the large palace gate closing. She turned and saw the puzzled samurai with the expression that said "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Jack." She said as she called her followers to boost her up.

And so they did, they made a formation and boost their leader up to the wall and she managed to escape the palace with the cube on her hand.

Her handmaidens were captured and taken to their cells. The samurai prince watched at the mess that she created. "It was suppose to be her birthday. Her birthday. Why would she leave just like that?"

The imperial guard responded. "Maybe she's conflicted at everything around her." He then commanded his men to lock her servants in the interrogation cell where they'll ask them what she's planning. Unfortunately for the samurai, these women would never talk unless Ashi allowed them to speak. The imperial officer asked for orders from the prince. "Sir? What are you orders?"

The samurai took a moment to think about it. _Ashi did this for a good reason but she should've told me about it._ He thought. "No. I'll do it."

"But sir, without you, the palace will be unguarded. Your father- the emperor has not been himself. We need someone who leads the people in case there's danger coming."

"Then I'll leave unannounced." The samurai said. "You'll be the only one who knows this. Never tell anyone about me leaving the palace walls. Never tell my father I'm gone. Keep it a secret, noble warrior."

The Imperial Guard was surprised by the prince's choice.

The samurai removes his imperial robe and back into his white attire. He retrieved his sword from his chamber and started his pursuit for Ashi.

* * *

The performance ended with a blast.

However, it did not do much to stop the spearman. Scaramouche was left weakened and beat as he blew his final breath and dropped his flute. His battery was low and his vision going dark. All the android can see next is nothing.

The spearman approached the dead android and stabbed his head for good measure.

Then the swordsman and the gunslinger followed and noticed their companion has already finished his first kill in the trip. "Great. You could've give us some action."

He did not answer him. He simply cleaned the spearhead, removing the dirt and splinters.

The gunslinger analyzed the androids body and noticed on the chest area. He saw an empty compartment. "He hid the gem inside of him. His companion must've got it."

"Obviously.' The swordsman said. "No need to tell us that. What do you think? There will be a moment that she left the gem nearby and we thought she had it?" He started to think for more possibilities.

The gunslinger found Ami's tracks and continued their pursuit.

But then, out from the blue, the cloaked man emerged on their path. His full red eyes glared at them and exclaimed. "You cannot journey no more! The cube has chosen its new protector!"

Without any word to respond, the three attacked the stranger like he's just annoyance that blocks their path. The cloaked man managed to evade their attacks at ease. For that encounter, the swordsman, the gunslinger and the spearman knew their facing a formidable foe.

* * *

Ashi managed to leave the empire and head to the woods. The sky got darker and poured rain. She kept on running and running through the deep forest and felt the cold atmosphere that the rain can bring. She remembered the days she trained with the High Priestess, her mother. She remembered her mental breakdown as a child that eventually turned her into the monster that her mother wanted her to be.

It was her destiny to kill the samurai.

But her destiny changed when she learned the truth. "Jack..."

Then lightning struck right in front of her and stopped her on her path. Ashi looked up at the grey sky and the rain continued pouring.

It was a sign from above. It could be. As she turned around, she found an abandoned farm. She took it as her temporary shelter during the rain. She searched the house and noticed no sign of struggle. The people who lived in the house must've left and moved to another land.

Ashi found an old blanket and used it to dry herself up. As she watched the rain pouring on to the dead farm field, she saw dark reflections that resembled her sisters and herself training to become killers. She kept recalling what her mother said to her that she was born just to kill.

Exist to kill.

Exist to be the monster like her father.

Ashi felt nothing at that time but right now, she felt loneliness. She just listened to the rain and let the sadness wrapped around her.

She's lonely.

Alone.

Afraid.

"I should've left." She said, realizing her mistake. "I should've told him about it."

"You don't need him to make decisions." A voice spoke.

Ashi was surprised when she heard it. "Who was there?" She pulled out her weapon, preparing herself for any surprise attack. "Come out where ever you are!"

"I'm right inside your pocket, idiot." The voice replied.

Ashi quickly slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out the golden cube. The object started to glow brighter and brighter.

"Isn't that your name? Ashi?" The cube spoke to her.

She was left speechless when she heard the object talked. "What are you?"

In return, the cube answered. "Dilek is my name."

 **=X=**


	14. Indestructible

**Indestructible**

"I wish you answer all of my questions."

Ashi looked at the cube and listened to what it said. She asked it a lot of questions which immediately she gets answers. The young woman listened and listened until she reached to the question she wanted to ask. "I'm an anomaly in the timeline. How... how can I be a part of it if my birth father is dead?"

"Who are your parents?"

"My mother's a human and my father's a demon."

The cube took a moment to think. "I see..."

Ashi said. "I have a wish-"

But she was stopped by the cube, saying "That doesn't work like that."

"What do you mean?"

"I can alter reality but not time, child. If you wish for having a life in this timeline, I can only create a pocket reality where your wish came true."

"You mean, I cannot be with my real husband. Just... a mental representation of him."

"Yes. You'll just disconnect yourself from this reality to your own wishful reality."

Ashi felt so lost, thought she can have what she wanted. It appears she cannot disconnect herself from her father's fate. She'll always be a time anomaly and a part of the entity Oblitus. A remnant of an erased history. "I want to have my own life. Free from Aku and Oblitus."

The cube has a suggestion. "I have an idea in mind."

* * *

The rain continued pouring as the samurai ventured through the woods, tracking Ashi's path. With the wet path, her tracks slowly disappears. He keep on going forward, knowing Ashi would never make a turn. But then he stopped when he heard blades clashing deep in the woods. He sneaked forth and saw the same cloaked stranger fighting three dark entities wielding mighty weapons. The samurai was hesitant to join in. He still doesn't know who they are and what side they stand.

Good or evil?

The samurai tried to sneak around them, hoping they had nothing to do with Ashi. But the stranger has something to do with Ashi's action for leaving the palace. _What did he say to Ashi?_ He thought.

But then, the gunslinger felt his presence and quickly aimed his mighty revolver to the white samurai.

BANG!

Out the bullets goes.

The samurai dodged with great reflexes and reaction time. He had experienced many bounty hunters using range weapons against him in the future. It would be easy for him to anticipate where the gunslinger point and shoot.

However, this gunslinger is different from the bounty hunters. His revolver doesn't shoot unless it aimed at its target. The samurai was just lucky back then. This time the gunslinger will save his bullets for the crowned prince. "Boys, we have an eavesdropper."

"Eliminate him." The swordsman said as he manage to land a blow at the stranger.

The cloaked man dropped to the ground, struggling to get up. His arm received a deep cut. He had no choice but to use his abilities against them even thought the Trioka have not used their true form yet.

The samurai knew what he had to do and so he dashed past the gunslinger and delivered a killing blow. A horizontal swing by his katana sliced through the dark gunslinger. Then, he charged towards the swordsman and the spearman. With a couple of blocks and swings, he managed to push them away from the stranger. "Get up, you fool!"

"I'm up." The strange said, holding his bleeding arm. "Watch out for them, samurai. These people are not ordinary."

"I have faced a lot of creatures that you cannot imagine."

"Well, these are not creatures you cannot imagine they exist." The stranger said. "They have not released their real form yet."

"Real form? What do you mean?"

"They called themselves the 'Trioka'. They are entities that feed through people's imaginations."

The samurai was confused what he was saying. His description was a bit puzzling but at the same time sounds concerning. "Can you simplify?"

"Ideas." The stranger said. "An indestructible manifestation on an idea."

"Okay?" The samurai started to understand a little. "Care to explain?"

The swordsman and the spearman prepared to attack. After he was cut down, the gunslinger put himself back and started to join in with his revolver ready.

The stranger explained one last time. "They are _ideas_ from stories, literature and cinema. The gunslinger is an idea of Western films like cowboys. The swordsman is an idea of fairytale stories like the Knight in Shining Armor. Lastly, the spearman is the idea of superheroes who acquired powers by chance and became the mightiest being in the world. These three are the ideas of a _hero_. The protagonists of the stories. They are destined to win no matter what!"

After that explanation, the samurai doesn't like the odds. "What are they after?"

But they were interrupted by the barrage of attacks of the three Ideas. The two had enough talking. They have to make a tactical retreat. The cloaked man used his unusual eyes to cast an illusion to disappear from the sight of the Trioka.

The foes were affect by the illusion but it took them seconds to break free. As the two disappear, the gunslinger inspects the ground and noticed their track even though it was raining. "They think they can escape us."

"But the girl did escape us." Swordsman said.

The spearman did not said a word but followed the samurai's trail.

* * *

Ami reached the palace walls and ran to the gates exhausted. "Help! I need help!"

The gate opened and the imperial guard approached her. He recognized the sister of the beloved princess. "You're Lady Ami."

She quickly grabbed him by the armor and yelled at his face. "I need to see Ashi!"

The imperial guard felt a bit awkward at the current situation. "Uh... you're too late. The prince and princess are... away."

"Where. Are. They?"

The guard looked behind her and saw rain clouds coming towards them.

* * *

"Shhh..." She whispered.

The silence listened.

"I'm awake." She said with a smile.

And the void cried with light and joy.

The large aqua flame burst out from her skull and eyes started to open and see the emptiness of space. The woman with a flaming blue hair stretched out her arms like she just got up from a long nap. "Damn. What time is it? Oh, right. It's my time." Her hair changes into a confetti and party horns, rejoicing her rejuvenation. "My three little boys have found my sister. I hope you are watching this, Pyralis."

The crimson entity stand silently, watching the young entity playing with her dangerous and indestructible imaginations.

The Trioka.

 **=X=**


	15. Harsh Reality

**Harsh Reality**

"Brother..." A boy's voice spoke to him faintly.

The stranger watched his little brother slowly walking towards him, weak and afraid. "You're alright."

The boy cried and ran to him. He dropped towards his arms and tried to carry him. The stranger watched his brother struggling to hold on. "This is not happening, right?

"Don't worry. I'm here." The stranger said but then he didn't get any response. He looked at his hands and found his brother has turned into dust. He cried for his brother. Tears running down his face but then paused when he saw the person who was responsible for all of this.

He remembered the face of the woman who dances around the mountain of fire and corpses. Her blue hair flows like a river and three men were standing still right behind her, watching her dance.

They don't seem to enjoy or give a damn about what's going on.

They were standing around and watched everything burn.

The stranger tried to get up and face them again but then the cube spoke to him. "Not now. Not yet."

"Why?"

"It's is not the time."

The stranger had no choice but to follow what the cube said. "What do you want me to do?"

"Take me away."

And so he did.

* * *

Along with Dilek the enchanted cube of wisdom, Ashi arrived at a peasant farm, soaking wet under the weeping weather and saw a family of six living in peace. The grandparents, a husband and wife, three children and a baby were doing what they usually do during their mortal lives. A routine they follow. Most mortals uses routines during their everyday life.

People may think these are ordinary family.

But not to Ashi.

They are all special to her.

They are her ancestors.

Her mother, the High Priestess, was a mortal and she wondered about her own past. Ashi began to imagine her mother living through a life of fear and death which eventually led her to become a worshiper of Aku. The cube noticed her hesitation and asked. "What are you going to do now that you know who they are?"

Ashi felt her body tingling, telling her not to move. Her mind thinks about the consequences that will happen if she did it. But her heart kept telling her it was the only way... so she can live happily with the samurai.

She started to cry, knowing the laws of time are so cruel. "I wish..." She made a whisper and the cube heard.

And so Dilek made it happen.

The result caused reality to fracture.

* * *

The samurai and the stranger found a cave and stayed for a while, waiting for the rain to end. As time flies by, the samurai saw the stranger fell asleep but speaks while he's at it. He tried to wake him up but then the stranger sat up and yelled a name.

The name of his beloved brother.

"Who's that?" The samurai asked.

"My... my brother. My little brother." The stranger wiped out the sweat on his face. He then looked and around and wonder. He cannot remember how long they have been staying in the cave. His head was a bit fuzzy. "The Trioka..."

"We lost them." The samurai said.

"Care to tell me how? My mind still hurts... remembering things."

"Luck." He looked up the grey clouds, pouring its tears upon the land. "The heavens struck a lightning to the ground, covering our path. The Trioka lost track on us."

The stranger cannot believe it. "You think this is a superstition?"

"I've met gods, stranger. I've met a lot of them. I fought alongside them. I fought one of them. It is not a surprise they'd help us."

However, the stranger doesn't care if it was superstition or a god. The only thing that matters is that they escaped.

"What do we do now?" The samurai asked.

In which the stranger answered, "We need the cube."

"Once we get it, then what?"

"We'll use it, of course. We will use it to reveal their creator." Minutes later, they heard an explosion from the distance that its shockwave brought an unsettling vibe around them. When the stranger felt it, he knew what that was. "Oh no..." He said. "It's the cube!"

* * *

The swordsman, the spearman and the gunslinger tried the samurai's trail but for some reason they lost it. They think a divine intervention happened. That lightning was not just luck. "This is a problem." The spearman said.

"The gods are on their side." The gunslinger went to his revolver and loaded it with golden bullets. "False gods, I say."

But then, a strange phenomenon happened and they felt it a mile away. The Trioka quickly dashed towards the point of this unusual occurrence. "What was that?" The spearman asked.

The gunslinger did not respond but he's the one leading them.

Once they arrived, they found the family of peasants struck by an unknown force. They seemed to be dazed but nothing bad happened to them. The swordsman approached the farmer and checked his condition. "What happened here?"

The farmer answered barely. "I... I don't know."

The abrupt silence was then followed by an eerie humming of energy. The gunslinger later called the others for he found what they were looking for. He reached his hand to it and picked the glowing cube up, revealing it to them. "We have found it!"

But before they could celebrate even further, a beam of light struck the Earth and silhouettes appeared and emerged from the showering light. The Trioka faced their unexpected visitors. The gunslinger prepares his pistol while the swordsman pulled out his sword from his sheath. The spearman slowly walked towards the light and wait for the blinding light to disappear.

Once it did, it revealed the visitors to be the Valkyries the lovers of heroes and the chooser of the slain. Thousands of them appeared with their winged steeds and almighty armors and weapons.

They have come to stop the Trioka for obtaining the cube. One of them stepped forward and howled, "Drop the cube, mortal! You have no idea what power it has. It will end Reality as we know it." She raised her mighty spear and smite the ground, delivering a threatening power. "Obey our command or perish!"

Even when she showed them her power, the gunslinger chuckled.

Valkyries were threatened by his laugh. It appears he doesn't fear their power and presence.

The gunslinger then said, "It's funny. I only brought a six." When he noticed some of the Valkyries were confused of his words, he quickly draws out his revolver and fired six shots at them. With his great accuracy and his revolver's firepower, he managed to headshot six Valkyries. Once he did, the swordsman and the spearman attacked the army of warrior women.

The farmer and his family witnessed the battle and slowly, they leave their ruined farm before they get caught in the fight. However, one of his children stopped just to see the battle again. The mother pulled her daughter, telling her to look away.

But she couldn't.

As the farmer and family flee to safety, they encountered the samurai and the stranger. The farmer quickly recognized the prince and bowed before him. "My lord! My farm! It has been ravaged by demons! Please, save us!"

The samurai then gave the farmer a gold amulet. "For your new farm."

"I... thank you. Thank you, noble prince."

"Head to my kingdom and stay safe. I..." The samurai remembered the stranger. "We will handle this."

"Bless you, my lord. Let the gods bless you and your name!" The farmer and his family continued their escape. But then his daughter slowed down when she saw the samurai. The mother was amazed by her daughter's focus. "Ashi! Stop daydreaming! We need to leave!"

The young woman answered. "He looked familiar."

 **=X=**


End file.
